Taking Chances
by Kurt's Anatomy
Summary: Aria Montgomery lived her life and made many mistakes. When A tragedy strikes just before college and Aria dies, she is given a chance to repeat her life from when she first encountered –A and changes her decisions. But there's a catch. She can't tell anyone that she's from the future or her timeline will continue as it did the first time. Can she change her life or will she fail?
1. Prologue: The Death

**Okay, so first, an explanation: I am very sorry about the deletion of my other, older stories that many of you were following and wanting answers to. A virus swept over my computer and deleted all of my documents, files, my music (:() and a lot of my online data such as emails. I also had my Amazon details hacked and my bank account was depleted (my insurance repaid the money though) and when it was fixed and I logged onto FanFiction, my stories and files in my document manager were gone. So I have absolutely no idea where the stories went and I will probably never know but I am very angry about it as I wanted to finish most of those stories this summer. So anyway, I'm onto a new set of stories (also on my other account which is 'EveryKurtHasHisSam' (I made another account to increase my online security) and am planning some good things for this account (also under a new username as you can tell by now haha). So again, I apologise, but events were out of my control and I'm optimistic about regaining some of your trust and respect again. Now onto my newest story!**

**NOTE: IF THERE ARE ANY OF MY OLD STORIES WHICH YOU DESPERATELY WANT TO REWRITE, I WILL TRY TO DO SO BUT ONLY IF GET A LOT OF REQUESTS. I LOVE ALL OF MY READERS DEARLY, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT! XXX**

* * *

Taking Chances

**Aria Montgomery lived her life and made many mistakes. When A tragedy strikes just before college and Aria dies, she is given a chance to repeat her life from when she first encountered –A and changes her decisions. But there's a catch. She can't tell anyone that she's from the future or her timeline will continue as it did the first time. Can she change her life or will she fail? **

Prologue: The Death

"Aria, run!" Spencer shouted from across the clearing. The Hastings girl began to run closer to Aria, but wasn't quick enough.

The hooded figure chased Aria around the corner and cornered her in an alleyway. Aria bit her lip as her hands roamed the wired gates between her. Thankfully it wasn't barbed. She recognised her location as the same alley in which she and Alison had found her father and Meredith sucking face in the back of his car. Aria almost smirked as she quickly realised the irony. This was one of the first secrets that –A had tormented her with and this where it would all end. She envisioned two possibly outcomes. The first would be her defeating –A and unmasking the bitch once and for all and the second was _her_ defeat. And A was probably armed whereas Aria was not.

She was right. –A whipped out the handgun and walked towards her. Spencer appeared at the edge of the alley but –A didn't turn around, seemingly having missed the sound of her footsteps. Spencer's eyes widened. Aria was about to signal to her, but she was grabbed around the neck by another hooded figure who the girls did not recognise as the infamous Alison mask was covering their face. As Spencer grappled with the figure, the other –A walked towards Aria, pointing the gun at her. Aria closed her eyes and embraced her demise. –A had given her an ultimatum: Reveal the whereabouts of the currently hidden Hanna and Emily or suffer in the form of her death. Aria would never have revealed the location of her friends, so had blankly refused –A's request. The text had been as clear as day:

_Say your goodbyes, Aria. It's all over. –A_

Aria had foolishly waved it off as another threat, but had quickly realised its credence. –A had stepped up their game and made their threats and actions much worse, when the girls did not capitulate, issued some real death threats. Hanna and Emily had gone into hiding under the pretence of going on a college visit and had not come back, informing the girls of their departure. Spencer had broken up with Toby again when A had threatened his life. And Aria? Well, Aria was here, staring down the barrel of –A's gun watching one of her best friends watch the scene unfolding.

"Say your goodbyes, Aria." –A said behind the Alison mask. Wait, Aria knew that voice…

It was…

_BANG._

* * *

**Author's Note (again): Yes, this here is the very short prologue to my new story, _Taking Chances_. It will be Aria centric and I am not revealing the pairings until one of the first few chapters, before Chapter 10 probably when the two characters begin to interact. I gained inspiration from this when rewatching Season 1, so that should be a clue and hint: It's not Ezra. Also, there will be Ezria for like 6/7 chapters or so before the new ship takes its place but it will be very light and they will not fall in love. Guesses for Aria's boyfriend and who big -A are are more than welcome, so guess away and you'll win a dedication in one of my chapters. So enjoy and note that there's much more to come soon!**


	2. You CAN Turn Back The Hands of Time

**Chapter 1- You CAN Turn Back The Hands of Time**

* * *

The first thing Aria heard after the gunshot was buzzing.

The obnoxious noise had seeped into her ear and had begun to fester inside her brain, clearing all of her thoughts and focusing everything on how to diminish this awful sound before it overwhelmed her and drove her crazy. She waved her hand in front of her face and frowned as it didn't cease. Then she paused.

Wait. She could move?

Her hands grabbed at every single part of her face and ran down her legs until her fingers ran over the front part of her boot. She was wearing a beautiful red gown which looked familiar to her. She bit her lip, trying to remember where she had seen the outfit before. She glanced at her shoes again, the sleek black heels jogging her memory. _She _herself had designed this particular ensemble as the one that she had always hoped to be buried in, so her style would remain with her even past the end. But she had never actually physically _made_ the outfit. It was just a sketch in her books of wicked outfits. So how was she wearing it now?

"You're dead." A voice stated from above her. It was a familiar voice, but different to the one that she had heard before she died. The one that _killed_ her to hear. Ugh, she grimaced. Bad pun.

"Yes, it was a bad pun." Aria faltered. This person could hear her thoughts. So creepy.

"It's not creepy. It's the thing that's going to help you." The voice replied to her. A hand was extended before Aria, one that she did not hesitate to take. She looked at the girl before her, remembering everything she knew about her. In the end, she decided to hug the girl in front of her.

"It's so good to see you, Maya." Aria smiled at Emily's ex-girlfriend and she meant it. Until she realised what that entailed. "Crap, I mean, it's good that you're here, but it's awful that you're dead."

Maya giggled.

"It's fine, I get it."

"But what _are_ you doing here? Is this Heaven?"

"No, it's not Heaven, Aria. This is the in between world. The living call it purgatory, I think. We're being purified in order to achieve the perfect state of holiness to enter the gates of Heaven."

"So there are actually gates?" Aria said, she had always been curious.

"No idea. I'm still in Stage Two. Apparently my sexuality needs to be rectified before I can fully be purified. All in all, I'm not sure I want to go to Heaven anymore after that." Maya laughed. She always laughed after saying things that were tough to vocalise.

"Oh my God you don't want that at all if they can't accept you for you. What other options are there?"

"See, that's why I'm here with you. Because your death was before your given time, you're given a special opportunity."

"Me? But weren't you before your time? I mean you were murdered? Nate, I mean Lyndon—." Aria was cut off by the other girl.

"I'd rather not talk about him. My time was right, apparently. But that's irrelevant now. Or it could be."

Aria shook her head.

"You're not making sense."

"There's an option for you. For us," Maya rectified herself and smiled, "Some say it's retrocausality, but some say it's a second chance." She shrugged.

Aria's eyes bulged. "Let's stick with the second chance thing. I hate everything retro." She laughed. Why was she laughing, she was _dead_?

"Yes, true you're dead, but I'll explain this anyway. Okay, this is going to sound crazy, but think carefully before you decide. There's chance for us to return to the land of the living. Don't interrupt right now, please. I'll finish first. If we return, we'll go back to when the cause of our death began to happen. So you'll go back to when you returned from Iceland and I'll go back to when I met Emily. We'll exist in the same timeline, so we'll know each other and we'll know about our deaths. But the purpose of it all is to reverse our deaths. You'll still meet –A but you can choose to act differently at certain points. I can, too. I'll know not to leave my joint at Emily's so her mom can't send me to True North to meet Lyndon. Maybe Emily and I would still be together now if that wretched Paige can stay the hell away. You can choose everything differently as I said, whether that means staying with Ezra or not even dating him in the first place, it's all up to you. Any questions?"

Aria looked stunned.

"Wow, that's definitely a lot to take in, Maya. You sure know how to make a girl shocked. So-so what's the catch?" Aria asked suddenly, sure something as amazing as this opportunity had a certain catch.

"You can't tell anyone about it. You can't tell anybody about their futures. You can't talk about anything that hasn't happened yet with anybody but me. So it looks like we'll be kinda besties. Apart from your four others of course." Maya winked. Aria laughed.

"That sounds doable. But wait…can I stop my parents from separating?" Aria looked hopeful now, a certain gleam in her face. Maya's face contorted into a sympathetic one.

"Maybe, if you think of a way to either stop your mom from finding out or a way for your dad to repent or something. Maybe the former is a better option, as much as lying hurts, it might be best." Maya suggested, not entirely sure she was helping much.

"I don't know, maybe I'll figure it out."

"Maybe…" Maya agreed monosyllabically.

"But…if I intervene with something and it majorly messes up their timeline, what happens?" Aria asked carefully. Maya nodded knowingly.

"You're good. I didn't think of it until much later. To summarise, nothing happens, but their timeline shifts slightly. Unless it's major like a death or a pregnancy or something."

"A breakup?"

Maya sighed, presuming Aria was talking about Ezra.

"It depends how much the breakup impacts their choices. If they make a major decision such as moving state or marrying someone else because of this, it'll majorly shift their timeline to a point where we wouldn't know anything about their future and their timeline continues as it is. Everything would be new."

"How many people have done this? Like anyone we would know?"

"Here's a random piece of trivia: someone in Rosewood has done this before." Maya smirked.

"Who?" Aria asked eagerly.

"Lucas Gottesman." Maya revealed, pursing her lips.

"What, really?! What happened the first time?"

"Well he joined the A-Team at the very start with Mona and he tried to save Hanna from the car accident in the parking lot but got himself hit in the process. He died from injuries. He came back as it wasn't his time either and decided not to intervene. It killed him though, emotionally, I mean," Maya giggled at her own unintended pun, "seeing Hanna injured was a breaking point for him. He didn't join the A-Team and tried to help her. He turned to alcohol and drugs because of guilt and overdosed. Your timeline was his third time alive. Guess he really proved his remorse. He's done things as he wants to now, so he won't be allowed another chance if he dies before his time again." Maya explained at length. Aria sat to take it all in.

"Lucas. Oh my God. I knew he loved Hanna but I had no idea."

"He didn't tell anyone about his do-over though." Maya said.

"He's wise. I just thought of something to ask you."

"Shoot."

"Why did you need to wait for me to die to come back? Couldn't you have done it yourself?" Aria asked curiously.

"Good question, I was waiting for you to ask. Lucas came back because he died protecting someone else. Hanna. You died protecting the secret of Hanna and Emily's whereabouts. I didn't die because of a good deed, I was just murdered because Lyndon couldn't have me and I wanted Emily. I need your reversal to latch onto and return. It can only be someone I've known in my past life though so when I saw you die as much as it saddened, I was elated because you can help me return and return yourself to change your life."

Aria nodded. That made the most sense out of the whole story.

"Can I ask…what happens to the other four in the original timeline?" Aria asks nervously.

"It's not good, Aria. Spencer died a week after you did. She grieved intensely over you. She decided to challenge –A to avenge you. As wise as Spencer is, it wasn't her best choice. –A shot her the same way they shot you. Hanna and Emily only escaped for a while. –A tracked their phones and followed them to their hiding spot and blew up their house whilst they were sleeping. They died instantly. This was a month after Spencer died. Alison committed suicide out of guilt, feeling it was her responsibility for the murders of her four best friends."

Aria wiped away a tear.

"But won't that happen anyway whether we change the past? I'm confused about these timelines?"

"See, that would be the obvious assumption, but no. Once somebody heavily involved goes back in time, their futures become only possibilities if that person lives the same. Since Spencer's death was about you, her death isn't certain. Hanna and Emily were killed because –A had gotten through you and Spencer, so if you don't die, neither do they. Alison is the same. My death is still coming in the timeline, though I can avoid True North, hopefully and avoid Lyndon and live happily. I'm excited to see what happens between my death and your death. I haven't really managed to catch much of it on my TV station." Maya joked. "But seriously, if I end up going to True North, it's your job to stop me. If I go, I die." She said solemnly. Aria nodded.

"I'll protect you. I'll say the joint came from me or something." Aria punched Maya's arm playfully.

"Oh, you _are_ good. Now. I know how to reverse the timeline, so whenever you're ready. That is, if you accept."

"Of course I accept. I don't want anyone to die because of me, I don't want you to die and, most importantly, I don't want to die myself if I can help it. But can I ask some things first?"

"Sure, we've got a week to go back. If Spencer dies, then she'll have to do it."

"Well, this won't take a week, I'm sure. Okay, so everything that happened with –A killed us. Do you know who it is?"

"I don't. Kinda like a ghost I watched from behind. Only you heard their voice, at least that's what you said in your slumber, and the death wiped it from your memory. You remember everything else though, right?"

"Yeah, everything as clear as day, but wait…"

"What's up?"

"What _does_ happen if I accidentally let it slip that I'm from the future or whatever?"

"Both of our timelines revert back to the way they were and there will be no way that we can stop them, so please don't screw this up for me. I want to live to be 18. I want to marry Emily someday."

"But what about Ali?"

"I know that Emily loved Alison in your timeline and they got together shortly after Bethany Young was discovered, but I'm hoping that me being there and hopefully still with her might keep her with me instead of Alison. I know it's a lot to hope but I can try." Maya said, confidence flickering in and out of her voice.

"Emily loved you so much. She hadn't fully gotten over you when her and Ali got together. She was still dealing with losing you and as much as it hurt her, she knew that you would have wanted her to move on." Maya wiped a tear from her eye as Aria spoke.

"I did. I really did. I helped her. I took away some memories. The 'I Walked With A Zombie' shirt didn't go missing. I hid it. And I know that she cried about losing it, but she needed the separation from my memory." Maya sniffled. Aria rubbed her back.

"Hey, you'll see her in like ten minutes." Aria said. "Wait, how long does it take?"

"Seconds," Maya smiled, remembering that her Emily would be back with her in seconds after she completed the job, "all I have to do now is hold your hand and concentrate on the points where we first encountered the evil or a little bit before. That reminds me. When we land back on Earth, we won't be together. I'll be at my house waiting for Emily to drop of the foie gras and if I remember correctly, you'll be in your house after getting back from Iceland. Are you going to go to Snooker's?" Maya enquired pragmatically. What she was really asking was if Aria would get back with Ezra.

"I don't know. I mean, I loved Ezra, but he lied to me. Our meeting was a setup, though. If I don't go, what happens to his timeline. Does he stop writing the book? Does he live normally or try to get to know me again?"

"If you didn't meet at the bar, I have no idea. I can only see what would happen in the original timeline. In that, Ezra is distraught at your death and moves to Paris. He lives happily, Aria."

"Without me." Aria muttered. Maybe Ezra would be better off without her. But she loved him.

"It's a dilemma. If you really want Ezra in Paris, you might have to plant the idea in his head. He wouldn't have done it without your pushing. If he didn't, I don't know if he would've stayed in Rosewood or what." Maya concluded. "Is that all?" It wasn't said impatiently, which Aria appreciated very much. She thought for a long second.

"I won't go. He deserves the chance to live without me. I won't fall in love with him. But I'm ready to go back. I am going to change my life. I promise you, Maya St Germain, I'll stop your death and mine. Together, we'll make everyone's lives great. I can unmask Mona quickly the first time and maybe stop somebody taking over the game. We'll do this. You won't meet Lyndon James. You won't go to True North. We'll live happier lives. Let's do this. Wait, does that mean I can't keep this beautiful dress"

"You're right, Aria. I just have to concentrate so don't talk for a minute. Also, make the dress in the next timeline, silly." Maya winked and held Aria's outstretched hand.

Maya closed her eyes and whispered softly to herself as she smiled, a happy tear falling down her face. Aria managed to make out some of her speech and she concluded with "Rosewood, Pennsylvania. Previous timeline number one." Before they both vanished in a spectacular shower of white light.

* * *

**Author's Note: I know people might eager be to see how Aria reacts to her new timeline but I thought I would involve my planned Maya storyline earlier than usual. So I hope you all liked it, and the religious views stated in the episode are just slightly contrasting but they are not my own, but some of my friends. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. I have finally decided that the story will be going by the episodes. If I update so quickly that I run out, well I'll make it up, simply. But I have over 100 to get through, so I doubt that'll happen. So look forward to this story being at least 100 chapters. I'm kind of excited to commit to such a long story. But I will not be uploading anything else on this account until this story is complete. So anyway, review guys! It helps to motivate me into writing! Also followers and favourites can do that too! ;) There's no harm in dropping reviews! So next chapter is the pilot. Look for it! But if you follow, you'll get an alert through email so you can be one of the first to read it... ;) Mwah xxxx**


	3. Begin Again

**Okay, so the pairing that I have chosen will become very obvious in this chapter. Like, I'll basically spell it out for you. Literally. Hope you enjoy and I hope that you're not too angry with my pairing. Some might love it, some might not. Read on and find out, bitches. -A**

Chapter 2- Begin Again

* * *

As the beautiful, ethereal light dissipated into the Rosewood atmosphere, Aria found herself in her unpacked bedroom, the boxes scattered across the medium-sized room, with _Aria's Room_ scrawled onto one side of each of them. The mirror was already set in front of her as she looked at her appearance. She looked exactly the same as she did when she was sixteen going on seventeen, although she felt so much wiser. That was probably because she knew a lot of the future. Her newly expanded brain felt like it was going to burst out of her skull due to the retention of the future events which she had to keep to herself. She wondered if Maya felt the same.

She didn't have much time to adjust to her new surroundings though because, in the pristine reflection, she saw her mother, Ella, standing behind her.

"Oh, hey Mom." Aria said nonchalantly, though it was still super weird for her to see her mother in her house once more as, after she had moved out and she had divorced her father and moved to Austria with her new husband, Zack, she had never step foot in the house. It was like the two images didn't compute together anymore.

"How you feeling, Aria?" Ella asked her, idly picking up a box before placing it down again. Aria remembered how she had felt the first time and it was rather similar to how she felt this time around. Just without you know, the death part.

"It's weird being back here after everything that happened." Aria commented, entirely truthful. It was exactly how she felt. She thought it was weird being back at square one when she knew what was going to happen. There was that, also, that she figured that she was going to get a bit bored sometimes repeating things that she had already done. At least she would ace her finals. She knew the questions so she could prepare them in advance. That meant a really good college awaited her application after high school. She wanted somewhere with a good creative writing programme that wasn't Hollis. She yearned to not be one of those Rosewood High students who were resigned to going to Hollis. She wanted an out-of-state college, if she was being truthful to herself. She wanted to make something amazing of herself.

"I know, honey, it must be really difficult for you. But your father and I are going to try to make this return as smooth and as easy for you as we can." Aria almost rolled her eyes, remembering the secret and the fact that she died kept coming back into her mind. She managed a grateful smile though.

"Thanks, Mom. I love you." She hugged Ella, who hugged her back, surprised at the affection she was not used to receiving from her daughter.

"I love you too, Aria." Ella whispered in her ear.

Aria blinked as she waited for what happened in the first timeline.

Three, two, one.

"Mom, I've gotta get to lacrosse practise like right now. It's first try-outs and if I miss them I won't play for the whole season!" Mike barrelled past Aria's bedroom, calling his mother. Ella looked back at Aria and raised her eyebrow. Aria knew that she had to take him but, truthfully, she wasn't entirely sure that she wanted to. Then she would have to make the decision as to whether she would meet up with Ezra or not. She wasn't ready to make that call. At least, not yet. Suddenly, she had an idea. She would not go to meet Ezra but only meet him in class. If the spark was still there, she'd try again with him. If it failed, which it was going to, she would let him go free and live his life without her. Maybe she would meet someone else and consider them as she would not have while she was still with Ezra in the previous timeline. She knew she wanted things to be different this time around, but it was just orchestrating them without letting on to anybody that she knew more than she should. As her mother left, she laughed dryly. She was _finally_ steps ahead of –A. She could definitely use this to her advantage when she needed to. Hanna wouldn't get hit by the car, hopefully, and other things were in her mind for her to prevent that –A had done to torture them in the first timeline. Aria made a mental note to write down some of the things that –A had done to her and the other girls.

That led her to think about Alison.

Aria did not know whether she should hint to the girls that Alison was, in fact, alive or try and find Alison before she revealed herself and bring her home sooner so they could have more time together. Was that a good idea? She decided that she would have to consult privately with Maya before she could make that decision.

"I'll take Mike to lacrosse." She stated and grabbed her keys.

Aria and Mike settled into Aria's car, Mike's lacrosse gear bundled upon his lap.

"You happy to be back?" Aria asked her brother. She knew for sure that one thing that she would change this time round is her relationship with brother. It had been patchy, at best, and she wanted to amend their failed bonding in her last timeline with her new, hopefully better, relationship with her brother. The drive to Rosewood High from her house was at least half an hour, so they had a little time to talk. Aria just hoped that Mike might open up to her a little bit more this time. He looked across at her, thinking.

"I don't know, really. I think so, cause as awesome as Iceland was, it's nice to have more English-speaking people around. And plus, there's pizza in Rosewood." Mike added as an afterthought. Aria shook her head, giggling. That was her brother, alright. "Are you?" Mike piped up once more. She thought about it. Was she? She was happy not to be dead, but was she truly happy reliving her nightmare again? Then she remembered her cause. Saving herself, the girls and Maya was what she returned to Earth to do, so she would complete her mission if it killed her, which she hoped that it did not.

"Yeah, it's still a little weird, but I'm sure it'll get back to normal soon. But if I can make a small request, please only order Sausage Heaven like once a fortnight or something. I would like to eat the same meals as you at some point and their vegan dishes don't seem very vegan at all." Aria laughed, feeling a sense of normalcy discussing such trivial things with her brother. This is what she wanted the first time and what she would get this time, she was determined.

They chatted idly like that until they reached the school. Aria put her car in park and said that she would see Mike at six. She looked wistfully at the school and sighed. She would be back there the next day and she considered herself ready. She would have to meet up with Maya at some point before attending. They needed a chat in private. Then she had an idea. Aria decided to call Emily. She met her first out of her former friends the last time anyway, and Emily had said that she should've called her in advance rather than just run into her by accident. As she was getting her phone out, she heard the car door open and close, a figure clambering inside. Turning to her left, she did not expect the person who got in to have even noticed her parked there, never mind actually make an effort to talk to her.

"Noel?" Aria frowned. This was…very out of character for Noel Kahn.

"Hey, Aria. You're back from Reykjavik." He commented, obviously.

"Yeah, here I am." Aria laughed awkwardly. This didn't happen last time, so she had no idea how to deal with it. She was happy that different things were happening. Maybe if she didn't rush off to the bar last time that she might have encountered Noel rather than Ezra.

"It's really good to see you. Where's the pink?" Noel gestured to her hair. He _noticed_. She was grateful for that.

"I guess my teen girl punk phase just ended."

"I liked it. It showed your personality. Don't get me wrong, your hair looks awesome without it too." Noel put the charming smile on his face and Aria saw why every girl in school wanted to date him. Noel Kahn had his pick of every girl in Rosewood, well besides like the three lesbians that she knew of, so why was he now in her car talking to her?

"Oh well, thanks, Noel."

Anytime. Listen, uh, can I maybe have your number?" Aria almost grinned. Noel was _nervous_ about asking for _her_ number. If this was a year ago, it would have been the other way around. Aria had left her crush on Noel Kahn behind when she had left for Europe, but maybe the roles had reversed while she was away. She asked for his phone and they exchanged numbers.

"Great, well I'll, uh, give you call sometime and we can maybe hang out?" Noel gave that beautiful crooked smile that he used when he wanted to excuse himself from doing something important. Aria was very flattered that he was using it on her.

"Sure, yeah, I'd like that." Noel went to leave the car but Aria stopped him.

"Noel?"

"Yeah?"

"You've got my phone." She pointed out and he looked down into his large hand, which was still grasping her phone.

"Oh, crap. Sorry, I wasn't trying to steal it or anything, I just forgot." Noel stammered. He _stammered_. Noel Kahn simply did not _stammer_. Wow, he must have really liked Aria.

"It's fine. I'll see you tomorrow?" Aria presumed. Noel nodded and headed around the back of the school, presumably to Lacrosse practise with Mike.

Aria frowned as she looked at her newest contact.

_Noel Kahn xxx_

He had entered himself with several kisses and that was cute, Aria thought to herself, thinking back on the situation.

"Well, that's new." She whispered before scrolling up and tapping the contact she was originally going to call.

After a few rings, she picked up.

"Hello?"

"Emily, it's Aria. Listen, I just got back from Iceland and I wanted to know if you were busy today." Aria said into the phone.

"Hey, Aria, this is so weird just getting a phone call from you now. I didn't even know that you were back! How was Europe?"

"It was good, so good actually. I'd love to catch up with what's been going on around here if you're free now." Aria trailed off, not wanting to lose her original point in speech about Iceland.

"Sure, it sounds weird, but come to Alison's house. I'm there with the girl who's moving in."

"Alright, I'll be there in fifteen." Aria stated, smirking, knowing that Maya would be there too and that they would have to feign not knowing each other.

"See you soon." Emily said. Aria drove to Alison's house, the memory of its location still ingrained into her mind. How could she forget?

* * *

When she arrived, Emily and Maya were stood outside the house, waiting for her.

She pulled up and got out of the car, greeting Emily with a hug for the first time in a whole year. Well, to Emily, to Aria it had been simply weeks.

"Hey, where's the pink?" Emily questioned, not having seen Aria without her crazy pink stripe. What was it that everybody loved about that damn stripe? First Noel, then Emily, Aria couldn't fathom as to why they liked it. She had loved it at the time, but had grown tired of it and, hence, removed it.

"I felt like another change." Aria shrugged. Emily looked to Maya and then turned back to Aria.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce you two, Aria Montgomery, this is Maya St Germain." Aria smiled at Maya, sharing a silent message between the gazes.

"It's really nice to meet you, Maya." Aria greeted.

"Likewise." Maya smirked.

"So what are you guys doing today?" Aria enquired.

The girls were just hanging out with each other and Aria joined in and it was basically just Aria telling them both all about Iceland (because even Maya didn't know all of the Icelandic details) and Emily sharing Rosewood's latest events. Nothing had really happened in the small town since Alison's disappearance, but Aria knew that there was much more to come now that she had returned.

As it turned out, Aria did not got a chance to speak with Maya alone that day. When Emily's mom called and told her to come home for dinner, she bid Aria farewell and Maya drove her home. Aria had offered, but then had retracted it when she remembered that the more time Maya and Emily spent alone together, the stronger their relationship would be. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was 5:45. Perfect timing to pick Mike up from practice.

She arrived at the school again just as Mike was waiting outside. He jumped into the car, putting his gear in the backseat.

"How was practise?" Aria asked.

"Good," Mike nodded, fixing his hair to how he liked it, "but it was weird. It was just weird being back in this town, I guess."

"I get what you mean. I saw Emily today and it was so weird seeing her after a year of being in a different continent."

"How is she?" Mike asked. Aria smiled. He cared.

"She's good, yeah. Not a lot has changed actually. Though Emily, Hanna and Spencer aren't really friends anymore either."

"Really? That kinda makes sense. Some guy was talking about Hanna and Mona being best friends."

Aria feigned surprise. She, of course, already knew that would happen, but it was a secret that she knew.

"That's…unexpected." She commented to keep up appearances.

"Man, I'm starving. Wanna order Chinese food?"

"Yeah, we can watch that new movie you wanted to see." Aria added.

"Awesome!" Mike grinned as Aria started the drive home.

* * *

Aria was totally ready for school the next day. She knew what to expect from it all, but it wouldn't be awkward because she's never met Ezra before. So wait. Aria frowned as she tried to think about why –A would start texting her now. Maybe about her dad still?

She was right. The moment that Ezra Fitz turned around was completely normal in this timeline and Aria was quite thankful for that. She also felt a pang of something in her heart upon seeing the ex-love of her life in this timeline without meeting him in the bar.

The moment her phone buzzed intrigued Aria as she had no idea what the message would even say.

_Aria: Hot teacher, hmm? You think he'll turn into your dad and sleep with any students? _

_-A_

Aria rolled her eyes as –A was trying everything just to make her squirm and freak out about Alison possibly being alive.

Suddenly, the end of the lesson was upon her and she was called by Ezra.

"Miss Montgomery, could I see you for a moment?" Ezra called to her.

"Sure." She swung her bag over her shoulder and walked to the front of the room, stood in front of Ezra's neatly organised desk. Ezra eyed up the students as they left before turning back to Aria.

"Aria, I have been informed that you were very close to Alison DiLaurentis and that your return from Europe on her anniversary might have unsettled you somewhat. I just want you to know that I'm here for you if you ever need somebody to talk to or to discuss things with. Just let me know." He smiled his boyishly charming smile. Aria took no notice of his antics.

"I think I'll be just fine, but thank you for the offer." She drawled, bored with his persistent nature already, and fled the room, slamming the door behind her. Although she knew he needed to get close to her for information about his book, she still felt as though he was trying to tempt her into repeating the last timeline even though he had no idea about the previous incidents.

Predictably, hearing about Alison's "death" did not have quite as much impact the second time. Aria was in possession of the knowledge that she was alive and that they had found Bethany Young, an escaped Radley patient, where Alison was supposed to have been. She still had to comfort the others, though, who she had made a special effort to reconnect with. Hanna was still being somewhat closed with them, but Aria knew that even in the previous timeline that that would take some time for her to come around and befriend her old friends again. Spencer had welcomed Aria back openly and had caught her up to speed on her family's drama such as the Wren situation. Aria smiled politely and nodded as she pretended to retain information that she was already privy to.

Aria had thought that the funeral would have been easy to get through, but she kept seeing flashes of Alison committing suicide out of guilt in her head and the dead corpses of her other friends. The images stayed with her throughout the entire funeral. She even kept quiet when the other three saw Jenna Marshall entering the church during the service. She gave a customary gasp here and there when needed, but mostly stayed out of the conversations, leaving the other girls to theorise whilst she held all of the answers. She sighed. This was not going to be fun. Keeping the secrets of the future from the girls would probably be the hardest thing going. However, Aria figured that if she told Spencer that she would fall in love with Toby Cavanaugh and Hanna that she would fall for a homeless computer-wizard, they would have slapped her. So she decided it was a good idea that the future's secrets were safe. Time would run its course and the girls would each find out their futures.

Outside the church, when their phones had buzzed simultaneously, Aria had rolled her eyes. Another run through of these group texts where I'm supposed to gasp and freak out is going to be difficult, she thought. Luckily, Aria had undertaken various acting classes when she was younger, so feigned surprise and fear would be but a menial task for her.

She looked down as she read the text back to herself.

_I'm still here, bitches. And I know everything. _

_-A_

And that was where the real fun started.

* * *

**Author's Note: Here's the first _real_ chapter up for you all! If anyone notices any continuity problems or other plot errors, let me know and I'll patch them up! Hope you enjoy this! Review! xxxx**


	4. Jenna

**Okay so I've kinda changed my plans. No, the story will still be the same and everything, but I'm going to be doing chapters from Aria's POV as in 1****st**** person. It just makes it easier to ascertain what's actually going on in her head and such. Also, not to make it too different, the chapters will be in the present tense so I can write them quicker and such. Also, a lot of it will be pretty much scripted, with some new scenes and tweaks here and there. It takes more editing, but I believe it makes the story better and fuller. Sorry about the changes, read on! :)**

Chapter IV- Jenna

So here we sit, in the Apple Rose Grille discussing the events that transpired at the funeral. The funeral of Bethany Young, although nobody else knew that apart from me. Maya wasn't present at the funeral which was a shame because I needed her there to stop me thinking about the future. I'm still thinking about it, even now, but it's diminished slightly in importance. I need to keep my friends from freaking out about –A. If only I could just lead them in the Mona direction, we would be safe for a while until Mona gets put into Radley which I hope she does in this timeline. I'm going to make sure that it happens for definite. If nothing too major happens outside of my original timeline, then she should be locked away in her rightful prison. And I'm going to make sure the little bitch does not escape from there. Eddie should help me.

Anyway, I've just missed Hanna proving to the man staring at her that her flask does not contain alcohol, which we all know it does. Who is she kidding? Hanna's the worst liar of the four of us. You could have your eyes closed and you'd still catch her out. To give her credit where credit is due, she has had a lot of crap happen to her and she's always the one that has to lie when she least expects to.

I tune back into the conversation and I notice that we've just got into the story about Alison's secret that she confided in Spencer and not the rest of us. Alison was the one that said that secrets keep us close, yet she doesn't tell everyone the ones that she tells us as individuals. She would surely know that the secrets are going to get out. Like that Detective (can't remember her name now) is going to say in a few weeks, "Secrets are made to be found with time." I don't know why I remember that, but that line has always stood out to me during our misadventures with –A. We all keep secrets and lie thinking that they're going to be safe forever, but eventually someone is going to find them out. I stick that little piece of information in a mental box called "Things To Remember" which is already filled to the very brim with information about the future.

"That's only half a secret." Hanna pipes up as Spencer's telling her story.

"Well it's more than you ever got from her." Spencer bites back with her usual sarcastic snark." I decide that this is a good time to vocalise my thoughts.

"How is it that Ali told us nothing and we told her everything?" I question, hoping that'll shut Spencer and Hanna up for a bit. Emily leans forward a little bit in her chair.

"Because she made us feel like we were part of something special." She states. That girl is so in love with Alison, it's adorable. I think about the last timeline when Alison returned and she and Emily had a little bit of a thing but it died down and Alison told Em that she was straight. It was so horrible for Emily to hear. But hopefully, she'll be with Maya this time around and won't have to worry about Alison rejecting her. Well, maybe she'll feel conflicted when Ali rolls back into town in a few years, but I'm hoping that Emily doesn't lose Maya over it. I'll have to warn Maya of the potency of Emily's feeling towards Alison when I next see her, which I hope is soon. I still need help with my "How to Not Tell My Best Friends How They're Going To Die" skills. Hopefully Maya knows what to do.

"We were." Hanna says softly. It's almost strange to hear Hanna be so calm and kind, when usually she has some vicious, snarky comment that she has to forcibly bite back. Her comment, though, reminds me of the five of us together before _and_ after Alison's fake death. We were a cohesive unit. A well-oiled sass machine, if you will. Before it all happened, we were just normal teenage girls living through high school and boyfriends and all the usual crap that teenage girls live through but then afterwards? We were targets of –A. Victims of this vicious cycle that never seemed to end. There was always a new horror to live through. But we mostly still stuck together. We all had a lot of issues to work through. Two of us had killed somebody. We were all almost killed in one way or another. I _was_ killed if you count the last few seconds of what I know. The other girls haven't experienced their deaths yet, which makes me think about how much I'm going to have to relive again. The box on the Halloween train, Toby's house being blown up. At least I won't have to deal with the Ezra heartbreak and the book thing. That was too much. I spiralled, admittedly, and hopefully this won't happen. I'll know how to deal with killing Shana, I'll know how to deal with a lot. I still don't know how I was drugged on the Halloween train, but at least I'll get to meet Adam Lambert again. Score!

"I miss that." I say, half thinking of the five of us and half thinking of flirting with Adam Lambert.

"Me too." Spencer agrees.

"I miss Ali." Emily remarks sadly. Okay, now I'm depressed again. Emily misses a girl that she thinks is dead but really she's gone into hiding with the help of Hanna's best friend. Ironic, no?

Emily fiddles with her bracelet, the one that Alison gave to each of us. Like Hanna, I can't believe that she still wears it, either. I have mine in my jewellery box, but wearing it brings back memories. Brought. No, brings. Ugh, I'm going to have to work on my tenses for this new timeline.

"I can't believe you still wear that." Yep, there's the Hanna I know. Emily looks at her, a little hurt.

"Ali still wears hers," then she realises her mistake, "Wore." She corrects softly.

"When Ali didn't come home that night, I knew something terrible must have happened but there was always some part of me that imagined someday she'd just show up." Spencer says sombrely. We all nod in agreement.

"Yeah. I used to think that maybe she'd just run off with some guy." I chip in. It's true. That was one of my theories last time for her disappearance, but it was mostly silent, apart from subtle clues here and there. Good job, Aria!

"That she was laying on a beach somewhere." Emily continues my story.

"Getting a tan with that hot lifeguard who worked at the pool." Hanna provides some more details to a dream theory. I try to remember the guy's name, much like last time.

"What was his name?" I ask the girls. No, seriously, it's really bugging me.

"Who cares? "Save me!" Thanks Hanna, now I guess I'll never know. Maybe I'll make a journal note to ask Alison sometime. After Hanna does her little amateur dramatics thing, we all laugh. There's a sense of normalcy in the air, but it fades away after a short moment.

Jenna chooses that moment to enter the grille. Really, Jenna? Thanks dear, we were having a nice girly moment together there. Now everyone's going to leave—yep Hanna's already getting up. Just the sound of her cane is enough to make everyone flinch. Not me but, since the other three are, I leave too and go home.

The next morning is one which I don't actually remember everything that happens until I speak to my mom.

"I had to look twice to make sure that was Hanna." Ella says, the tone of surprise lacing her voice. I nod my head shortly.

"Right?" I say, reminding myself of a stereotypical high school girl in those movies.

"That was some funeral dress. Her mother didn't buy _that_ at Curvy Girl." She states, again. I nod, again. Then my dad picks that moment to rear his adulterous head into our conversation. They are so not splitting up this time.

"Who shops at Curvy Girl?" Byron asks, genuinely confused as to who would shop there.

"No one. Anymore." Ella adds, smirking. She sounds happy that Hanna has lost weight. Everybody is, well that is if you don't know the method. It makes me sad for her and mad at Alison for discouraging her bulimia. Byron gets himself a cup of coffee and is about to leave. What an A-hole. Ha, I just made an –A joke. I'm so proud of myself. I wish one of the girls were here to celebrate making a joke with me. Then again, at this moment in time I don't think that they would be too pleased to hear –A related jokes.

"No time for breakfast?" Ella asks, suspicious. I was just about to question it when she did. Great minds think alike, eh? Yeah, and so do me and Ella. I'm just full of jokes today, aren't I?

"No, and I'll probably be late tonight, too." Or he'll eat with Meredith. The bitch.

"Late nights already? You just got back." Ella complains slightly, though I'm kind of glad he won't be around. I can safely say I'm not happy with him in this timeline until he redeems himself.

"Yeah, what's that about?" I simply _adore_ watching my father squirm, it's a pastime of mine.

"What's it about? Being gone for a year. Playing catch-up. Faculty meetings, changing my curriculum, demanding students." He argues. Yes, demanding of time on his couch. No, Aria, don't thinking about that!

"Well maybe your family's demands should come first." I snap. Boom, I'm totally the sassiest person ever right now.

That shuts him up.

"I'm gonna be late." Translation: I don't want to stick around to hear more of my dad's excuses.

"Love you, Ella." I love calling my parents by their first names. Sure, we're not very conventional anyway, but this just makes me feel like an adult with much more freedom than most kids.

I don't look at Byron. He has to know that he's no way even close to being in my good books right now. I think my frosty look works because he has the grace to look ashamed and looks down at Ella.

I walk, no I _breeze_ through the hallways of Rosewood High. I'm on a mission. A mission to change my future and Ezra's. I guess it's best for the both of us. The door to his classroom swings open at my command. He's sitting as his desk, as cute as ever, no Aria stop you're on a mission.

"Can I talk to you?" I'm blunt as hell. I'm not playing games and I'm not messing around. This is my future we're talking about. I'm actually really sassy in this new timeline. Go me.

He looks around, shifting, checking for other students.

"Of course." He says when the coast is clear.

"I'd like to transfer out of your class." I may be sassy, but I still have my manners.

He's disappointed, I know he is. So am I, a little bit anyway.

"I understand where you're coming from, but I wish you could stay in the class." Ezra says, biting back emotion.

"This isn't an easy decision for me, but I do feel like it is the right thing to do." I say, and it's not a lie. I was up half the night thinking about what I was going to do. My request was denied for an unknown reason in the last timeline, but I'm hoping something else will work its magic and let me move.

"You're a bright student and I think that there's a lot that I can offer you as your teacher." Like a relationship, maybe? Ezra, don't lie dear. It doesn't look good on you.

"All of the English teachers are just as competent and it's the same syllabus." I try a different strategy than last time.

I throw the form on the desk gracefully.

"Will you sign it?"

"Are you sure?" Ezra says shortly. He doesn't want this. He signs it and hands it back to me.

"I'm sure. Thanks." I say and flounce out of the classroom, retaining some of the swagger I held coming in.

My swagger doesn't last long as the P.A System calls the words that I was dreading since arriving today.

"Will the following students please report to the office? Emily Fields, Aria Montgomery, Spencer Hastings and Hanna Marin." The voice drones above us. We've all collectively met in the corridor (that's weird) and my phone buzzes. Oh, holy hell this is never good.

"It's from –A." I say, even now wondering why the other girls didn't get one.

I can't read it, it's too weird. I show it to Hanna.

"Dead girls walking." She mutters as we walk together to the office.

"He knows we're lying." I mutter after the awkward conversation with Detective Wilden. It's weird seeing him alive again. After the whole pig thing and finding out that he was shot by CeCe Drake, the image takes a moment to register in my head as real and not just a figment of my imagination.

"Lying is not a crime." Hanna counters.

"It is when you're giving false statements to the police. It's called 'obstruction of justice'." Hanna cuts her off so she doesn't launch into a legal rant of an explanation.

"Oh, please! We lied about drinking. The truth that matters is that we don't know anything about what happened to Alison that night." Hanna shoots back.

"We also know about someone who might have wanted to hurt her." Spencer points out helpfully. That is true.

"We should have told the police the truth about Jenna's accident the night it happened." Emily supplies. Yeah, Emily's always the voice of truth and moral cleanliness. Even when the situation doesn't warrant it. Like this one. Telling the police about Jenna would have been the worst thing ever.

"I wanted to, remember." Hanna says. Yeah, I remember.

"We all had a chance to do more than tell the truth. We had a chance to stop Ali." I reply.

"But we didn't." Spencer says, bringing us back to reality.

There's an interlude in the conversation as we see Mona walking around the cafeteria, looking for Hanna. When she sees her sat with us, she grimaces and finds somewhere else to sit. For somebody who claims to be popular, Mona sure doesn't have many other friends sans Hanna.

"Telling the police now about what happened to Jenna isn't going to make her see again. It'll just ruin our lives." Spencer says, proving my point.

And there's Jenna. Walking around school.

"Oh my God, she's back in school, too?" Hanna exclaims, surprised. Well, of course, she's not going to stay home every day.

I need to do something to get Jenna over here.

"Jenna, it's Aria. Would you like to join us?"

The other three look at me with their respective signature 'what the fuck' faces on. I shrug and carry her lunch to our table.

"So you're sitting between Hanna and Spencer and Emily is directly across from you."

"Ah, so this would be Alison's chair?"

"No, we're not even sitting at that table." Emily says, her voice laced with vehemence.

"She came to see me, you know. After the accident." Jenna says, shocking everyone but me. Then I remember that I have to act shocked. Keep up, Aria.

"Alison did?!" Spencer says incredulously. Duh, Spencer.

"So many people misunderstood her. But I knew who she actually was." Jenna claims. Did she though? I mean, does.

"When did you get back, Jenna? We heard that you were in Philadelphia at a school for the…visually impaired." Spencer says, skirting around the word as though it would blow up a building.

"You can say blind, Spencer. It's not a dirty word."

"It's so quiet. This used to be the _fun_ table. What happened to you girls?" She almost smirks.

Spencer's phone vibrates, shocking her out of some reverie that she appears to be in. She often goes into those dazes.

"Are you gonna get that?" Jenna asks, holding Spencer's phone up towards her. I know it's an –A text, but I never got to read it last time. I peer over at her extended arm and it says: _If only she could see how guilty you look. –A _

Ugh, it's been like a week and I've already had enough of –A in this timeline.

I walk into English class, a bitter look etched upon my face. I'm so not happy. I even tried to butter up the timetabling lady who's name I still have trouble remembering. Mrs…Blockett I think. What kind of name is that, anyway?

I hold the sheet saying 'Request denied' in my hand and flick it at Ezra, who looks stunned. A triumphant little smile appears on his face when he reads the words. Yep.

I open my copy of To Kill a Mockingbird and zone out, having already done this lesson before. I know what it's about.

I actually get excited about going to see 'It Happened One Night' with Ella. We both love the movie so it's good, but then I remember who we run into. The last person I would have wanted to see at the movies. Ezra. Fitz.

I'm hoping he doesn't see me this time.

"Aria?" Shit.

"Mr Fitz, hi! This is my mother, Ella." I introduce them.

"Mr Fitz, you're the new English teacher." Ella states, not as question.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs Montgomery." Ezra shakes her hand.

"Oh please, call me Ella. We're very informal in our family. You here for the movie?" Ella asks.

"Yeah, it's a personal favourite of mine."

"Aria's too. She told us a lot about you but she missed out the 'very young' part." Ella grins. Shut up, Ella please.

"We should get going." I state, dragging Ella into the old theatre.

"See you inside, Ezra." Ella waves goodbye. "You forgot to mention the 'really cute' part." She adds to me. Please don't Ella, no.

Luckily, this time, I choose a seat at the front and Ezra chooses a whole row at the back so we don't have to do the awkward sitting with each other thing. I really did dodge a bullet there.

The worst thing about getting coffee is having to drink it in the rain. It really sucks. I'm walking home, the rain soaking one of my kookiest outfits, one that I love, as I remember what happened last time. Ezra picked me up and we kissed in his car. Well that's not happening this time, that's for sure.

I see his car driving along. He quickly rolls down the window, but I shake my head and run ahead of the car, turning the corner so I'm out of sight. I would much rather get drenched than sit in Ezra's car right now.

As I get home and my family does the whole Chinese food bonding thing again, I get a text. My instincts obviously say –A, but my phone says 'Noel Kahn xxx'. Ooh.

_Hey, Aria! Are you free tomorrow night? We should do something. Can I take you to dinner somewhere? Noel xx_

Aww, if that was any cuter, I would be grinning like the Joker. My joy doesn't last long though, because my –A text comes through so quickly it feels like the timing was planned.

_Liars don't get to be happy with their boyfriends. I'll make sure that never happens. –A_

Well this can't be good.


	5. Breaking News

Chapter 5- Breaking News

* * *

I walk, battling the hordes of gnats as we progress to the shed where we came every single day before Alison's disappearance/death/fake death. Pam Fields decided that it would be a good idea for us to…I don't know pay homage to Alison in some way and Emily thought it would be a good idea for us to do something by the shed, I don't know why, but the idea ends up being the pathway of art tiles anyway, so I don't understand why this is relevant to anything. It's just meaningless and insect bites.

"Who's idea was this again?" Hanna pipes up and breaks the peaceful silence of the trek. She's irritated about the bugs.

"Emily's mom." Spencer replies.

"The shed was _me_; my mom just said that we should do _something _for us." Emily replies, sounding tired as well. God, she's an athlete, she should at least have some stamina and resilience during long walks.

"Well couldn't we do something with_out_ mosquitos?" Hanna asks, half joking. Oh, Hanna, I had forgotten how much that girl amuses me, although I still feel the need to correct her. I feel like Spencer.

"They're not mosquitos, they're gnats." I say, following Emily to the Shed.

"Whatever! They're small and annoying and flying up my nose." Hanna barks, trying to cover her nose as she speaks. She's being dramatic, they're not _that_ annoying. Spencer rolls her eyes.

"Well they're attracted to your perfume. And your hair products. And your lip gloss." Spencer lists, resisting the urge to smirk. She, like me, is not sounding beaten down by the gnats or the distance (Hanna and Emily) and is just carrying on. We're Team Sparia, after all.

"So what are you saying? That I attract flies? Hanna spins around dramatically. Wow, she's really stepping up her Oscar game lately. Again, I feel the need to go all Spencer on her.

"Gnats." I correct again, rolling my eyes.

We approach a clearing that looks all too familiar.

"Why do I feel like this is wrong way?" Emily frowns at us.

Spencer emerges into the slight clearing and chips in her two cents.

"No, this is it. I remember that three. It's the halfway point. There are only one hundred and thirty six steps left to the Shed." Oh right, I forgot she was a giant freak of nature for counting the steps.

"Have you been out here since…Alison?" Emily questions. What an odd thing to say, of course we all have? Well, I don't think I have, I was shipped off to Iceland right after she disappeared. But I know that these three have definitely. I can tell by the looks on their faces.

"Me? No! No way!" Spencer looks adamant, even though everybody knows that she's lying. Blatantly.

"But you remember that tree?" I say, hoping to catch her out. She shouldn't have to lie to her best friends.

"You guys, it's not that weird. We came out here in eight grade like every day. Even after." Hanna points out helpfully. Yeah, it's true. We did. Even I kinda remember that tree and I'm from years in the future.

"I think this is totally the wrong place to do this...whatever you call it, _shrine_." Spencer states her opinion.

"It's not a shrine. It's just a place to remember Alison. What's wrong with that?" Emily says, though it's not in an attacking way in which I would have thought it would be.

"Doing it all the way out here makes it look like we have something to hide." Spencer says worriedly.

"You're worried what other people think?" Emily asks. Man, Emily still has to learn that lesson and she's getting all judgemental about it? Pot, meet kettle.

"Well aren't you?" Spencer challenged. "I mean do you really want to give that creepy detective any more reasons to question us?" Oh, I wouldn't worry about Wilden. He'll die soon. Shit Aria, that was mean. What I meant to say was…he's probably in Hanna's kitchen eating breakfast right now.

Hanna scoffs and walks ahead, her attitude dropping at the mention of Detective Darren Wilden. Yep, Hanna can't keep a secret to save her life. I think it's her eyes; they're very truthful and give her away a lot. Meanwhile I, along with Maya, am keeping the biggest freaking secret known to mankind right now and I'm doing a better job than Hanna. Mind you, mine is barely even plausible.

"Hanna, why are you so quiet?" Emily says, having caught on to Hanna's strange behaviour.

"I'm trying to keep the bugs in my nose and out of my mouth." She lies. She's just clammed up because Wilden has been brought up. Come on Han, lie better please.

"You're allowed to have an opinion on this."

"You want my opinion?" Hanna says, happily twirling around. You asked for it, Em. "I say we hold off and not remember her until we know for sure that she's not still here."

"What?" We all chorus.

"You think she's still alive?" Emily adds. She's right, Em.

"Hanna, they found her body." Spencer says. Nope. It was Bethany Young. Error.

"Alright, stop. Now I'm officially scared, can we just not?" I speak for the first time in a little while just to keep my lie fresh in my head. I'm not scared. Why would I be, I know all the answers. Well, most of them. Apart from who is Big –A. I almost knew. That bitch shot me and killed me.

"Oh you know what, you asked for my opinion! I don't believe she's really gone." Hanna says adamantly. And whoever said that Hanna wasn't smart? She's bang on the money there and she doesn't even know it. I can't just tell her. Now I finally get what Alison meant about not just telling us everything and leaving us something to figure out. It makes the revelation more real.

"We went to her funeral." Spencer calls out. I thought Spencer might be a little more sceptical.

"Yeah and when we left we all got a text from her." Hanna states. See, that's wrong Han, it was Mona. Your bestie.

"It wasn't her! Someone is messing with us." Emily argues. Bingo, you're finally right Emily!

"How do you know? And what about all those nasty messages? I mean, how does this –A person know stuff that only Ali knew?" Hanna decides to play a game of 20 Questions. Oh, fun. Your answers, Hanna. Mona. Mona and Alison's diary plus some surveillance.

"Okay this conversation is giving me a hive." I chip in.

"That's a bite. Mosquito." Hanna shoots back.

Emily decides to be the one to change the subject.

"Spencer, have you gotten any more messages?"

"Haven't you?"

That's when the cliché horror movie antics begin and the branches start to rustle. Go figure.

"Did you hear that?" Emily asks me.

"Duh, of course I did, I'm standing right here next to you." I roll my eyes. Seriously?

"Hello?" Hanna calls.

"It's probably a rabbit." Spencer theorises.

"Hello?" Hanna calls again.

"It's a rabbit, Hanna, it's not going to answer you." Spencer points out.

Sometimes, I just want to strangle these girls. I love them but come on! There's only so much sarcasm one girl can handle in one day.

"Can we just get to the shed?" Yes. Thank you, Emily!

More branches rustle. Seriously? Come on!

"Okay, that's definitely not a rabbit." Hanna says, fear creeping into her voice.

"Let's turn around." Oh, Emily, you were doing so well right there! Why ruin it?

Each time our phone beep in unison, everyone freezes. I just whip it out anyway. I know what's coming. I almost recite it.

_Heads up, BFF's. It's open season on Liars and I'm hunting… -A_

Well go figure.

* * *

I had almost blocked out my inner nerd-dom until Byron enquires as to if I'm enjoying _To Kill a Mockingbird_. Of course I'm enjoying it, it's an amazing book.

When Byron suggest I read her biography, I remember that he never actually got it for me from his office. I borrowed it from….from Ezra. How am I going to read it again? I don't need to, I remember everything, it would just be nice, you know, to keep up with the continuity and all.

And then I hear the voice that makes me wish I would have worn my fork earrings so that I could stab something, namely her.

"Byron?" That squeaky, jumped-up bitch. Meredith Sorenson. The woman who ruined my parents' relationship the first time oh _and_ tried to kill me when I was sick by drugging me. Byron turns red. Blushing, huh?

"Hey! Hey! How you doing?" She doesn't answer him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt…" She trails off. Of course you did you evil, self-centred, crazy whore!

"No, no, no that's okay." Byron excuses her. No, Byron, it's not. It's not okay at all. My mind flashes to them kissing in his car. Stupid home wrecker. "Uh, Aria, this is Meredith Sorenson, she also teaches in the department, uh, my department and this is Aria, my daughter." He's so calm saying it, like he forgot what she caused. Well, _is causing_. Stupid timelines.

"Oh, Aria, hi, of course you are!" She mutters. She knows who I am yet she's playing stupid. Ah, classic slut. My smile back is so fake I can't even begin to explain the amount of venom I put behind it. There's a lot of stuff that they talk about that I'm really not interested in so I just let it go.

"So how does it feel to be home? This town must seem a little dull after spending a year overseas?" She's so patronising, I just want to slap her? Why does everyone talk down to me? Yeah, I'm short, but I'm mature for my age. So I stifle a smirk and put on my best bitch-face.

"Not really." I scowl. I'm so false that even Mona seems realer than me right now. And she's one fake bitch.

Her smile doesn't lose that stupid fake wideness it had. Probably because Byron's here.

"Thanks," she says to my dad about something, "I'm so glad I ran into you." Oh, cut the crap, you just want to sleep with him. She looks to me. "Nice to meet you. Welcome home."

"Why can't she graduate?" I say, staring evilly at her retreating form.

"She has." Byron chirps. I don't listen to the rest. I'm far too pissed.

* * *

"Russian History?" I roll my eyes. I forgot Spencer was taking that class. Oh yeah, she wins the Orchid when she stole Melissa's paper for it. Duh, Aria. Spencer gives a nod of affirmation.

"How many AP classes does it take until your brain explodes?" I feel bad for the laugh that I barely stifle.

She nods to her locker "I'm already drowning in there." No she isn't. Well maybe.

"What's drowning for you, B plus?" I wink.

"First paper's due Monday and I have written two words. My name." She giggles a little, so I feel that I can, too.

"Well, what's going on? Hey, you're not still freaked out about what happened in the woods yesterday, are you? Look, we do not have to do this thing for Ali until we figure out if…" I stop. I'm about to let something slip and blow the entire operation. I got a phone call from Maya last night, telling me that it's best if we keep our distance from each other as to not let anything slip. I didn't agree, but it's necessary, so I'll do it.

"No, it's not just that. It's…everything. Is there any chance your family wants to adopt me?" I laugh, but then here come Jenna and Toby, like clockwork. I feel like saying to Spencer, just for a laugh: "Hey, there's your future long-term boyfriend and the girlfriend of the girl I killed who was also Alison's childhood friend." But I don't Because that's not what I'm supposed to do. At all.

Emily approaches us, with Maya who gives me a knowing smile, nodding to Spencer a little bit. I smile widely back, not knowing when I'll speak to her again. Then I remember that I have a charade to fulfil.

"He's back, too? When did that happen?" I gasp, my faux-shocked attitude a real Oscar winner.

"Maybe she needs help sending radioactive texts." Hanna suggests seriously.

"Maybe he's sending a few of his own." Spencer supplies. Here comes Detective Hot-But-Creepy. But seriously, he's hot, but he's got nothing on Holbrook. Damn. I can't wait to see his fine ass again.

"Hanna." Wilden swoops in and the rest is history. She's taken by the nosy detective for some more personal questioning and we're left stood there like idiots.

* * *

This is like the first real day without many interesting things happening. My day is going from headline news to forgotten history at like 70 miles per hour. That is until I get a text from Noel.

_Hey, can I come and see you? There's something I've been meaning to do. Noel xx_

_Sure, I'm in my room, just come on up. The door's open. Aria xx_

It takes Noel seven minutes to get to my house, all the time that I spent thinking of what might happen. Noel is my wildcard. The thing I missed out on in the original timeline. The guy who didn't get a fair chance with me. I brushed him off before I could even think twice about him just because Ezra seemed like the better option. That wasn't fair to Noel and he is one of the things and people that I am going to amend.

He knocks on my door (see, respectful) and comes in at my summoning. He's dressed gorgeously in a classic Ralph Lauren polo and black skinny jeans with some high top Converse to complete the ensemble. He looks classy and sophisticated…to make that brain of his that I know he's got. And his guitar skills. And his gentlemanly attitude towards women. And not just because he wants to get in their pants, either. Because he cares about people.

"Hey." He greets, his hands in his pockets. Damn, he's _nervous_. That is so adorable.

"Hey yourself." I smile back. I pat a space on my bed for him to sit down next to me. It's a good job I clean my bedroom every day or I would be so screwed. "So what's this thing you need to talk about?"

Noel inhales deeply.

"You see, ever since the day that you got back from Iceland, I haven't really stopped thinking about you and how much I wanted to see you. And then they found Alison's body and I wanted to come and see how you were but then I thought I would give you time and I'm babbling aren't I?" He stops himself from babbling adorably. I nod, but let him know that I think it's cute. "Anyway, I realised that I wanted to give you space because I was nervous and scared of you rejecting me. Because, Aria, I really like you and all I can think about is how much I want to buy you pretty things and…kiss you." Noel looks into my eyes hopefully. I blink and lean in slightly. He does too and, suddenly, his lips are upon mine and the kiss is so deep and so passionate and so…erotic, damn Noel most definitely knows how to use his mouth because he's a damn good kisser. His strong hand meets the back of my head, pulling us closer together as his tongue swirls around my mouth, exploring every single inch he can find.

We break apart, panting. That was…amazing. I tell him as much. He grins widely.

"Go out with me. Like properly. We can go this really nice vegan place I found in Philly?" He suggests. He remembers that I'm a vegan, that's really sweet. I smile at him, placing my hand in his and nodding.

"It's a date."

* * *

These S.O.S texts. I answer all of them, but some can be unnecessary. This one was definitely not time for an S.O.S. It was Spencer. She remembered something about the night of the Jenna Thing about Alison and Toby. Yeah, yeah, yeah, heard it before. The good thing about this new timeline is that I can pretend to listen and still know everything. It's a win-win system for me.

And that's how we ended up at the clearing near the halfway point tree thing, standing over the bracelet with the one name on it that made girls shiver and one girl pretend to be shocked.

_Alison._

* * *

**Author's Note: I know this is a little shorter than the last, but that was because there was less important Aria scenes in this episode. I plan on replacing every Aria/Ezra scene with an Aria/Noel unless it's uber important and doesn't lead to Ezria kissing. Noelia is so on, bitches! Anyway, this was 1x03, 1x04 to come soon and I'm excited to write Homecoming in 1x06 because Aria and Noel are SO going together. It's a date aw. Anyway, review guys! Already there's a really good response to this story, but I think it could be even better!**


	6. Here Comes Tomorrow

Chapter 6- Here Comes Tomorrow

* * *

"Okay, so the town is going to be put in a new bench and we'll plant the flowerbeds and there's going to be a pathway of art tiles." I announce to the other girls. I sincerely hope that "born-again" Lucas doesn't get his hands/shovel all over this new masterpiece. I'm redoing my art tile this time because I was not satisfied with the artistic quality of the last one. It was pretty lame and I'm definitely capable of much more. But a note about Lucas, will he wreck it this time, even though he's also come back from the dead? Is his new timeline this timeline or are we living in different timelines? I am so confused right now. I definitely need a long chat with Maya about this. I am too bemused about my new-life situation.

"Art tiles?" Spencer questions. She doesn't seem to be thrilled with the idea, but I know that she's going to do one anyway. If I remember the last timeline correctly, Spencer's tile had a picture of Alison on it and it was very skilfully drawn. I hope she repeats because it was beautiful.

"Messages, pictures and memories of Alison." Emily supplies.

"Aw, like little headstones." Hanna chuckles to herself.

"Hanna." I scold, resisting the strong urge to laugh myself.

"What?" She shoots back, confused as to what is wrong with her utterance. Like I even need to tell her.

"We should each do a tile." Emily smiles, ignoring Hanna's comment about our "dead" best friend

"You know, I've had Alison's bracelet since the day we found it in the woods and I don't want the responsibility anymore." Hanna comments on a complete tangent, extracting the bracelet from her bag and offering it around. Yeah, like anybody else is fighting the urge to steal it from her, okay, get real please Hanna.

"I don't want it." I frown, backing away slightly. What? I don't! Even though I'm the only one so far who knows she's definitely alive, I still don't want the bracelet. I don't want to change the timeline. Haha, I'm already diverting it just by standing here, so that wouldn't matter. That bracelet is not something I want in my house, okay?

"Seriously, somebody take this."

Spencer's hand shoots out and grabs it from Hanna. She looks across at us and back at the bracelet.

"Look at us. A bunch of babies." She comments dryly. I am not a baby. I died protecting my friends. Oh, I am _so _a Gryffindor.

Even still, we all shift uncomfortably.

"There is nothing that A can say or do to get us into trouble without making trouble for herself." Spencer scowls at nobody in particular. She's still stuck on the Jenna theory and we establish somewhere down the line that Jenna is not –A.

"Are you sure it's a her?" Hanna asks.

"Him, her, it doesn't make any difference." Spencer remarks. Oh yes, it does, Spencer Hastings. It makes a world of difference. She roots for her laptop and pulls it out, looking to do that little protection thing that does not work anyway.

"What are you doing?" Emily says a little too apprehensively.

"I'm going to block all messages from people that I don't know. IM's, texts, emails, everything." Spencer rattles off a list of ways that A is going to still be able to torture us anyway. "Screw A." She adds at the end. She doesn't know that she's going to…well if Toby even counts as –A. He was probably the worst A ever. Like, ever.

"Bam. Who's next?" She smiles up at us all, it's quite creepy actually.

Emily takes the computer and sits down. Spencer rises and stands next to me. She looks across the road.

"I spy with my little eye something that begins with N." Spencer raises an eyebrow as I see Noel Kahn riding a bike past the little patch of grass we're standing on. I haven't actually told them that we're together because I know even though they appreciate the beauty of him on a bike, they hate him and tried to discourage me from liking him before Alison faked her death and I just know that they would this time too. So definitely not telling them. I smirk as I notice my…boyfriend (?) and his glorious legs for the first time. They're damn fine, Spencer's right.

"Hey, Noel." Hanna calls, waving quite sarcastically, but letting him know through the hand gesture that she appreciates his exposed legs.

"Looking good, Kahn." Spencer shouts, knowing it's going to inflate his ego. He waves back and continues to ride on. I'm getting quite uncomfortable knowing that my friends like Noel's legs. Oh, this is too embarrassing. Not as much as last time but, still, embarrassing enough and I do not need that in this timeline, I'm telling you now.

"My turn." I grab the laptop and get one last look at Noel before he disappears from my view.

"You know there are some guys that you _do_ want to see on a bike and there are teachers that you _don't_ want to see on a bike." Spencer smirks.

"I would not want to see Kieran Fletcher on a bike." Hanna replies, laughing.

"I don't want to see Kieran Fletcher in motion of any kind." Emily chips in.

"Uh, Noel Kahn." Hanna says, dragging the words on for a few seconds, shaking her head.

"Hanna. Your turn." I almost force her turn upon her, because, hello, shut up Hanna.

"You talked to Ben?" Spencer asks Emily. Ah, Ben Coogan. The almost rapist. I forgot about him actually. Hmm, I don't really have much to say, like Emily.

"Nothing to talk about." Emily replies.

"So you're really done?" I say, tucking my hair behind my ear, knowing full well that my girl Em will be with her true love in a few weeks.

"It's okay. I'm fine." And she really was. Being a lesbian meant that you didn't get upset over breaking up with guys.

"Okay, if you say so." I finalise. I just want to make sure she's definitely gay in this storyline.

"I wish we had a drumroll for this." Hanna sighs. We all laugh with her. "Alright here goes…We are officially A proofed."

"Listen. All those little messages zipping through the air all around us." Spencer remarks somewhat descriptively. I always thought it was weird that she phrased it like that.

"Yep. And none of them from –A." I lie, knowing that A is going to get back to us sometime.

"This feels like a good thing."

"Of course it's a good thing. Out of mind, out of sight." Hanna provides. Wait, Hanna, isn't the proverb 'out of sight, out of mind' and not the other way round? God, I'm definitely turning into Spencer. Next I'll be playing scrabble by myself and cheering when I win. Not cool.

That's when that god awful flier comes rushing towards us. I pick it up, the only one knowing what it reads.

_Ding Dong, the bitch is dead. _

Ugh, Mona and her Wizard of Oz references. She should really be a lot more subtle. It doesn't matter now anyway, I've got her all caught out.

We all look around. I just smell the latest fresh scents from the bakeries. The others are scared, but I'm pretty bored so I drag them up and we leave the bench behind.

* * *

"Ooh, hot scarf, Em." Spencer smiles, making me turn towards Emily. Damn it, I missed Maya again by like a second. When am I ever going to chat with that girl?

"Thanks." Emily says shyly. She doesn't want to tell them that Maya gave it to her. I shoot her a knowing look but I don't think she receives my message. I should really practise my knowing looks for the future years.

"Is it new?" Hanna knows it's new. She memorises our closets for god's sake.

"No." Emily lies.

Hanna's phone rings, startling us all.

"Go ahead, answer it. I mean we know who it can't be from." I say, but to be honest, I'm just getting bored of Hanna's pretty annoying ringtone.

"Hanna?"

"It's my dad." Oh crap, yeah, I forgot about that.

"Hey, Dad." She leaves to talk on the phone. She's always been shy on the phone.

"Has she…even like talked to her dad since he walked out on them?" Emily questions. I honestly don't know. I don't think so, but I was in fucking Iceland how am I supposed to know?

"I don't know. Hanna and her father, it's one of those 'don't ask, don't tell' situations." Spencer says.

"We shouldn't stare." I say, pulling them away and walking to…I don't actually know where.

It's probably a good thing that Spencer and Emily aren't there when Noel stops me in the hall.

"Hi." I greet him.

"Hi." He looks surprised, even though he stopped me. Boys.

"I saw you riding around town the other day…on your bike." Why is this awkward? Wait, am I repeating the words I said to Ezra last time? Ugh, I'm such a timeline geek.

"Yeah, I saw you too. I waved, remember?" He grins. "I would've stopped but you weren't alone and I know how your friends feel about me and I didn't know if you had told them about us yet." He adds. Such a cutie.

"My friend thought you had nice legs." I remind him.

"And what do you think?" He winks. Ah, so he's fishing for obvious compliments. Come on, he's an athlete; of _course _he has amazing legs. And abs. And…focus, Aria.

"That I was embarrassed that my friends thought you had nice legs." I can play hardball too, you know, Noel. "It's a little awkward, under the circumstances."

"Aria, what are the circumstances?" Is he trying to get me to DTR? Seriously? Ugh. "If you know, please tell me, because this is new territory to me. I've never actually had someone like you in my life before."

"Yeah me too. It's really not clear to me, either."

"So…the circumstances?" He says, shifting from side to side. He wants me to call him my boyfriend.

"I guess we're two people who enjoy each other's company and—."

"Aria, will you be my girlfriend? Is that clear enough for you?" Noel leans in and kisses me. Yes, in front of everybody. I forgot how good his lips feel against my own. God dammit, Noel. I see Ezra lurking by his classroom, watching the situation. Okay, we're not involved, why is he being creepy? Let's give him something to write a book about. Call it…Fifty Shades of Noel and Aria.

I run my hand up Noel's face and grab his hair, hoping he's not too anal about the styling. He seems to like it though, because he bites my lip, something I know that he only does when he's turned on. Whoa, that's maybe enough for school. Save the rest until later.

I break apart and there's full-blown lust in his eyes. Oh yeah, he _totally_ wants to tap this. And maybe he will. With that look in his eyes, he definitely will, he looks so hot right now.

Ezra retreats back into his classroom and shuts the door perhaps more forcefully than he could have if he wasn't so pissed at me for not meeting him. Would he have any suspicions about why I wasn't at Snooker's that day when I got back? Or how I've shut him out?

At this moment, hand-in-hand with Noel Kahn, I don't really care.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry that this chapter was shorter than others. Most of it was kinda important Ezria scenes but it would've had to have been different with this timeline so I just cut them out completely. Oh yeah and the title comes from the lyrics from _Thieves and Their Hands_ by _Rachel Cantu_ featured at the start of 1x04- **_**Can You Hear Me Now? **_**the episode in which this chapter was based- at the beginning when Hanna and her mother are talking about Sean's car. I totally missed out Noel's party last chapter which would've been ideal to set up Noelia but oh well. It was already kinda long. Review, my babies! xx**


	7. Reflections

Chapter 7- Reflections

**So I've kinda changed the order of events here. In Episode 4, Ella finds out about the letter and then Aria goes to Spencer's and finds the writing on the mirror. They will both be at the start of this chapter rather than the end of last. Don't ask why, I don't know. They just needed a change around for me, really.**

* * *

Remember when I was talking about those damn S.O.S messages? Yeah, that is now why I am stood in front of Spencer Hastings' mirror, looking at the writing that I saw what feels like a lifetime ago.

_It won't be that easy, bitches. –A_

It would be easier if I just told everyone the truth about me and about Mona. It would save everybody huge chunks of time. Though then Maya would die and I wouldn't have a chance to save her. So I spoke to Maya on the phone last night. She's helped me with everything and advised me about when to save her going to True North. It's after Emily and Maya have dinner after Hanna's maybe-not accident (this time). Maya said that she would text me when she's left Emily's for a study date and that's my cue to go over there and stall Pam and get Maya's book bag for her so Pam won't find her joint. I said that she should just take the joint out, but apparently, she needed it that day. I tried to get her to quit taking drugs altogether, so that she would never go to True North, but apparently. Maya's parents are pretty high maintenance and she needs some way of coping with the pressure they heap upon their only child.

So that's set in motion, I just need to wait for that and I'll stop Pam. Don't worry, Maya.

* * *

When I get home from Spencer's, I find my mother sitting on the couch in a familiar position. Oh, no. I know that look. She's reading the letter. I have to stop this, somehow.

"Mom?"

She wordlessly gets up and hands me the letter as she had done the first time. I try to stop her from leaving, but it's no use. I sigh. Maybe this is supposed to happen then. Damn Spencer. Couldn't she have just…you know, not? Just not S.O.S'd me in particular? That would have been good. I could have intercepted the letter and my mother would have been left none the wiser. But no. A has to go and stick her sharp little nose into the Montgomery family business and ruin everything. Mike's going to be pissed again. I have to stop him. Maybe set him up with a girl. _Not_ Mona. Or Hanna. I'll think on it.

I'm in my room preparing for the day when Mike comes in. He's gotten more muscular since our return from Iceland which is weird because that did not happen last time.

"How do you not poke your eyeball?" He laughs. It's actually really good question. I should've poked myself like a thousand time already even this morning, but somehow I have refrained from any substantial ocular damage.

"What's up?" I ask, not having an actual answer to this particular question. I'll think on it.

"Uh, nothing. Look, um, are mom and dad acting weird with each other?"

"What do you mean?" Wow, I suck at lying. I don't even believe myself. And the girls called me the best at lying, seriously? It's Emily, I think. Spencer and Hanna can't lie to save their own shoe collections and I'm just as bad. Emily's quite good sometimes. Not that it's a contest or anything.

"Ah, I don't know. There's a vibe." He's so right but I don't want to upset him. I love the little knucklehead.

"Yeah, maybe." I say weakly. Aria, please step up your lying game. It's dreadful. "Look, don't worry about it, okay?"

"What, are you only going to do one eye? Is that a new Cyclops look?" He asks and I remember my makeup. Damn it, I did that last time. For a girl who has done this before, I'm actually pretty stupid. It probably should've been Spencer with this mission of sorts. She would have everything under control.

I hit Mike with my bag and turn to my mirror to do my other eye and try my absolute best to not look like a Cyclops.

* * *

Don't you just absolutely adore the feeling of walking into your kitchen and seeing your parents argue? Nope.

"Are they going to be any less confused seeing us walking around here like sulky roommates?" Byron questions as I approach. "I mean, we're not—."

"Hey." Ella cuts him off. Again. She did that last time; I'll never get to hear what they were going to say next. Damn mothers and their super-hearing powers.

"Hey." I say shortly, glaring at Byron and smiling warmly at my mother.

"Do you want some breakfast? There's yogurt." Ella is still trying to be lovely and kind even though she's going through hell. I love her so much.

"No, I'm good with a granola bar." I shrug contentedly. Because I really am. Granola bars are just life.

"I'm going to go to work, I've got office hours." My dad excuses himself, but not before sidling up to me like we've just watched a movie together or something. "Hey, good luck with that French test today, sweetheart." He kisses me on the forehead and I look at Ella. We both know I have a pop quiz in History, not French. He never listens, I swear I could tell him one hundred times and it would not be enough.

"Mike knows something's up. Are you going to tell him?"

"Yeah. You know, when I can."

"Okay, well just don't wait too long. It was hard enough to keep it from you for a year, I don't want you to have to do that to him." Oh shit. I've stepped in it _again_. Seriously, someone get Spencer and let her relive life, she'd love it. Me, I just make the same mistakes over and over.

"A year? You've known about this for a year?"

Well this is not good.

* * *

I greet Noel as he waits for me by my locker like he promised me that he would.

"Hey, there." I mosey on over to him (wait did I think the word mosey in my head? Ugh, I really need life skills right now) and smile.

"Hey! I've been thinking about you." Well, that's always cute to hear from a boyfriend. To know that I'm on his mind when I'm around is adorable. "Uh, how are things with your family?" I called him after my mom had found the letter and explained everything, including the adultery. He agreed that I was protecting Ella by keeping the secret, but he admitted that he would have told her sooner than this. It was good that he wasn't just sucking up and that he would admit my shortcomings and mistakes. Ezra didn't do that a lot. He just agreed with me to get into my pants. It had worked until it didn't and I kind of died. Noel is more thoughtful, in the sense that he thinks things over before he talks about them. Ezra was very headstrong in discussions. He would fight to get his point across to me. Noel is patient.

"Intense and getting worse. Can you give me an excuse not to go home? Is there a six hour lacrosse practice that I can drive you home from?" I giggle. He grins back.

"I actually found something out that might be fun to do tonight if you're interested on taking your mind off your home life." Noel winks. "Mr Fitz is reading a short story that he wrote at this bar tonight and I think we should go and spy on him and heckle. We can sit behind him so he doesn't see us." He proposes the single worst idea I have ever heard. But I need to get away from home for a while, so I agree. Maybe I can use this as my distraction.

"Sure, I'm in. I'll meet you at your car after school?" I ask.

"That works for me. Listen, I have to get to Algebra, kill me now right? I'll see you later, babe." He kisses my forehead and strolls off to Algebra to go and be Noel Kahn there. Why didn't I choose this path last time? It's so…exciting and passionate. With Ezra, it was risky and volatile. This was much safer and it has the passion. Done deal.

* * *

Later that night, at Ezra's reading, we actually end up having a really nice time. We get there before he arrives and Noel uses his brother's ID to order us some drinks (alcoholic, of course. How I wish I had my ID from my former stint as me (that sounds so weird) to get us some drinks legally, but Noel's ID works fine. I think the waitress has a crush on him though) and we just sit and chat for a while until we notice Ezra taking the seat in the centre of the room. He sits facing where I can see Hardy watching him read and we're behind him so it's all good. We sit and listen to the story (Noel is actually pretty interested in it) and it's actually as good as I remember. It was better last time because, well, I was dating the author so it's automatically better, but it is a good short story, to Ezra's credit.

"And in an instant, her life was undone. Everything she had known disappeared, drifting into the summer sky." As we clap, I can't help but think that this is about Alison in some way. Everything she had known _had_ disappeared and just as summer was ending, too. If I hadn't have already known that he knew her, if I really thought about it, this story is a pretty telltale sign.

"So, what now?" Noel asks as the clapping is diminished into one or two people's faint echoes of applause.

"Well, we can stay here or we can leave, it's up to you. You're driving." I got a ride from Spencer this morning, so it's okay. I lied to her and said that I was going book shopping and I like to do it alone. Who the fuck says that?

"Actually, do you mind if we leave? I was looking forward to heckling my English teacher, but the story was pretty good so I couldn't really do much. We could go back to my place and order a pizza, vegan for you obviously, and watch a movie. I have many a selection from before 1960." He winks cheekily at me. Noel just gets me.

"That sounds wonderful." As we're leaving, I see Ezra spot me from across the bar, frowning. He hadn't known that I knew about this. He didn't see Noel though, so it looks like I'm stalking him. Oh, crap. No, this did not happen.

* * *

So that's how Noel and I end up cuddled up in his bed (yes, under the sheets but _fully clothed the entire time_, perverts) watching _Sunset Boulevard_ with a tub of half-eaten ice cream between us. Our hands are interlinked and my head has found its rest on his shoulder. As Gloria Swanson is belting out _As If We Never Said Goodbye_, I lift my head and tilt Noel's to face me. His eyes are so beautiful. I kiss him deeply, making sure he knows how beautiful he is.

"You are so beautiful." He comments, almost as if he's read my mind. I smile and blush, looking at the television screen.

"You're not so shabby yourself, Kahn." I wink and punch his muscled arm.

"You know I'm hot stuff, Montgomery. You can't resist." I move the ice cream and curl in a ball, laying my head onto his hard chest as he adjusts to make it comfortable for me. The movie ends and it's late. Very late, actually. I didn't really keep track of the time. Who knows where the time goes, anyway? I certainly don't.

I call Ella to make sure she knows that I won't be home tonight ( I lie and say that I'm Spencer's house) and make sure it's alright with Noel that I'm in his bed.

"Of course it is. Let me just get ready for bed." He flashes a winning smile at me and hurries off as I prepare myself too. Well, actually, I kinda just root around for a tee shirt of his to throw on so I don't have to wear my leggings or a bra. That sounds kinda slutty, but not many girls wear their bras to bed, I'm telling you this now. I know for a fact that Emily, Hanna and Spencer don't.

Noel returns to the room, shirtless, exposing his chiselled physique and damn he looks fine. He spots my own attire and laughs, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, I just like wearing baggy shirts and I thought it'd be cute if I wore one of yours. Black is a good colour on me."

"Aria, it's completely fine. It's kinda hot, actually. Just so you know, any colour is a good colour on you. Including the red when you blush." As if on fucking cue, I blush. Noel seems to think it's cute but I highly disagree.

"Just for that, you're not getting any tonight, Kahn." I wink, gaining sudden sexual confidence from God only knows where.

"Damn, that's a shame, but the thought of you cuddled up next to me is pretty appealing too." He pulls me close and kisses my nose, which is like the single cutest thing in the entire world. Ezra did not once kiss my nose. Or my earlobe, which Noel just did. Oh my, he is a true diamond in the rough.

"Come on, let's get in bed." He suggests and we do. "By the way, I usually lie on my back so I don't snore."

"Good to know. I tend to do whatever. Just roll with the punches, you know?"

He lies on the right side of the bed, on his back as promised with me snuggled up right beside him. There's a good 50% of the bed behind me, but I don't plan on using it. Noel's scent is intoxicating and he's very warm, so I don't really want to sleep in any other position on the large bed. My hand brushes against one of his nipples, which causes him to shudder slightly. My hand rests on his abs as we drift off peacefully into a deep slumber.

* * *

**Author's Note: However short it is, I actually really like this chapter. It's filled with Noelia fluff which is always 10/10, but there is a slight hint of smut which I'm not sure whether to dabble in later down the road. Leave your thoughts as to whether this is something you want or whether I should just skirt around it and leave hints that they have had sex but not explore it graphically. Anyway, there's not much -A stuff lately, but it should pick up once Aria gets some good plot points. Oh yeah, the next chapter will begin with a new scene and the homecoming episode should be pretty lengthy if I remember my plans correctly. Leave a review please, they make my life! Also, this story just hit 1000 hits which is awesome. Keep it going, guys, I love you all! xx**

**PS: Three cheers for a double update today! xx**


	8. Homecoming

Chapter 8- Homecoming

* * *

After our night together, Noel and I are closer to each other than ever. So close, in fact, that I am thinking about revealing our relationship to my friends, and I know too well that they will just disapprove. But I don't care. I really, really like Noel and I think it could last. It's not on and off like it was with Ezra last time, we're solid.

"Hey, you." He greets me, hands behind his back. I think I already know what he's holding, but I have to be sure.

"Hey, what's with the secrecy?" I nod to his hands.

"Well, I was wondering if…you wanted to go to Homecoming with me." He announces, bringing his hands around to his front to show the tickets to the Carnivale. I actually enjoyed myself last time but I was distracted by Ezra so I didn't get to try the games or the fortune teller or any of the other weird games that they had there.

"I'm going with someone."

"Oh, uh, okay?"

"I'm going with you, dummy. Thanks for the ticket, how much do I owe you?"

"Aria, don't worry about that, my dad covered it. I also wondered what colour dress you were thinking of so that we could match. I was going to just get a black suit but if you're thinking of some extravagant colour, then I'm sure I can swing for a nice, bright orange or something." Noel laughs. It's easy banter with him.

"I'm wearing black, Noel, I'm not a piece of fruit." I smile and it's genuine. It's not a smile that's laced with a veneer. It's one of my "I'm genuinely happy" kind of smiles.

"Great! I was thinking of picking you up at 6:30 so we could hit Rive Gauche for something to eat before we go?" He proposes.

"That sounds lovely." He kisses me and leaves to join Sean, who is waiting for him. Suddenly, a text comes through. Oh, fucking great. What does this bitch want now?

_Secret relationships never last. Then again, neither do marriages, as you know. Tell your friends or I will. –A_

I knew it was going to be something about me telling them about Noel. I will, I just don't know why I'm so scared. It's not like I'm dating Ezra again and I have to spill that secret. It's Noel Kahn. They know that I crushed hard on him when Alison was around, but I don't really know how they're going to react. He's really no different to Sean, apart from the fact that Sean blows when Hanna doesn't give him her full attention like she used to do. Noel is fine with not seeing each other all the time because he knows full well that I have a life outside of him. And what a life it is: a broken family, an anonymous stalker and friends that I can't even tell about my boyfriend. I need help.

* * *

Sitting with Hanna in my room as she's trying to find the perfect accessories to wear to Homecoming can be strenuous and I tell you this now. You haven't ever had to deal with Hanna when she's stressed out about choosing an outfit. I have and it's taxing. Physically and mentally and, sometimes, she literally punches you in the face for suggesting the wrong outfit. Fortunately for me, this time was not one of them.

_They're still in the dark about Noel. You've got until tomorrow –A._

Great, I'll have to do it now. I won't see anyone until tomorrow. But enough about that, I'll get to it when Hanna's done stressing.

"How long did you wait?" I say, trying to defuse her stress.

"Well, I finally left when Chewy's five o'clock shadow became a beard." Ew.

"Did you tell Spencer?" I ask, knowing how much Spencer hates failure of any kind.

"Relax; I rigged the door so we can get back in later this weekend. Hey, do you have anything a little less hippie and little more bougie?"

"Whatever's in there is what I have." I say shortly, not in the mood to play her fashion games. I still haven't thought of a way to get my parents back together and even if I did, I wouldn't know how to implement it. Also, this secret relationship is weighing me down, how on earth did I cope last time with Ezra? Ugh. Anyway, I have to tell her sometime and now is the only option.

"So what do you think? It's an honour just to be nominated or 'it's about time, where's my throne?'" Hanna holds up two pairs of earrings, asking for my opinion. Nope. Last time I did that, I picked the 'wrong ones' and she threw them at me.

"They both look good." Better to be safe.

"Aria, I know what you're going through." No you don't, you didn't die and come back to life again to prevent your death and your friend's. "When my parents were fighting, I barely left my room. I wore my headphones and blasted Jay-Z to drown them out." Really, Hanna? Jay-Z? "It got to the point where I would only take them off to shower. The worst part is now. The waiting, which is why you need to get out of the house. We'll have an amazing time tonight. And I know someone who has a huge crush on you." Yes, my boyfriend.

"Who?"

"Chris Bazingi."

"I thought he was bringing Lisa."

"He is, but he told Sean that he'd rather take you." Well, Chris is going to have to fight off my boyfriend. Speaking of which, now is a great time to tell her. "He just thinks you're not into him."

"I'm not."

"So, who are you into?"

A beat.

"Oh my God, I knew it! You're already seeing someone!"

"No, I'm not." Aria, suck it up!

"Yes, you met someone while you were living in Iceland, what's his name? Whatever, I probably couldn't pronounce it anyways." Hanna begins to leave, but I have other ideas.

"His name is Noel Kahn." I bite my lip, hoping she'll take it well. There's no going back now.

"Wait, what? Noel Kahn? As in the guy that you had a major crush on before you left for Iceland?"

"The very same." I am beginning to smirk now, feeling the relaxed atmosphere that Hanna had created. Or so I think.

"Hanna, Noel is trouble. He's a player. He's just going to break your heart if you ask him to Homecoming."

"Why would you assume that I would have to ask him?"

"Because you're into him and he's—."

"He asked me, actually." I say coolly.

"Oh my God, you've been dating him, haven't you?" She accuses correctly.

"For a few weeks now." I nod.

"And why haven't you told us about it? We're your friends, Aria. Your best friends." She frowns.

"Because I knew that you would react how you have. Like this. Saying that Noel won't be into me as long there's another girl waiting in line to sleep with him."

"I didn't say that."

"It was implied."

"Look, Aria, I didn't mean it like that. I'm sure Noel likes you if he's asked you to Homecoming, but his reputation speaks for itself. You saw what he did to Prudence Finn. She thought he was in love with her but it turned out that he only wanted her for her boob job. You can't blame me for assuming that of him, since it's been proven right before."

She's right.

"You're right, I'm sorry for snapping, I just really like him and I guess I'm kind of paranoid about that too. That he's going to just leave me for somebody else."

"He won't, Aria. If you like him, he must have changed, your taste has always been kind of spectacular. And anyway, if he does, I won't hesitate to shove my heels somewhere where only gay guys put things." I wince, that is so gross.

"Hanna, that's disgusting."

"What, it would hurt him! And hurting you means hurting him in a way that makes him walk funny for the rest of his life."

"Thank you. I love you."

"I love you, too. Now, which pair of earrings is best?"

I sigh. Here we go again. But at least I'm safe from –A until the next secret comes to the surface.

* * *

Dinner with Noel is actually…kinda perfect. Rive Gauche is lovely as always, but Noel Kahn dressed up in a suit is quite ironic as it makes me want to rip it off him. I'm wearing a tight black dress, basically like the one I wore as my death outfit, but black. I made it myself, so obviously the composition is perfect. We're situated in a private booth and, instead of being very cliché and opposite each other, he's right next to me and we're facing each other.

"If I haven't said it already, you look breath-taking tonight."

"You already said it three times, but it doesn't make it any less romantic and cute. That suit, though. You look like Marlon Brando in his younger days."

"Just call me Stanley Kowalski." He winks and he's so sexy when he does. It makes very happy that I changed my timeline and began to date him. The food takes a lot longer to arrive than we originally thought and we're a little later to homecoming than we thought we would be. Noel's nominated for Homecoming King, though he thinks he's going to lose to Sean, which he doesn't mind doing. Rather than voting for himself like he planned, Noel's going to vote for Sean and Hanna, as he knows how much Sean wants it. It would make his parents proud and he loves Hanna so that vote was easy.

"I'm sorry that we're really late." He pouts.

"It's fine. It's not like we're turning up three hours late. It started at 8 and we're here at 8:30, so we're okay. Don't fret over it. Now, let's make up for lost time and get dancing." Noel knows he's a fabulous dancer, like seriously good. I'm more than decent myself, so I can match her skills on the floor. Now this is the bit I've been dreading. On the phone earlier, I asked Hanna not to tell Spencer or Emily about my dating Noel. So I just know that when I walk down the steps holding his hand, Spencer will flip out. She loathes him at least, until I give her a reason not to. If she's my friend, she'll accept Noel. Just we all accepted Toby, Caleb, Paige and all of the others' boyfriend. They accepted Ezra last time, and he was way more risky than Noel, so what's the point in worrying.

I can hear the same band, 2AM Club playing inside. I loved them last time, they were epic, and the lead singer flirted with me a little, so I don't mind repeating this particular event due to the music and the fact that I finally have a date that isn't a member of the faculty. _Worry About You_ is playing, my favourite song by them. After I had a fight with Ezra, I listened to it and started to relate the lyrics to the situation. _Broken lover, yes I made you, believe that I would be the one to heal you_. Ezra had made me believe that he could be the one to swoop in and heal my wounds and stuff, but he hadn't, in the end. He had had a son and he was a teacher. Noel hasn't got any of that that I know of.

Noel offers his hand and I gladly take it. We walk together to the interior of the building and the main dance hall for the evening. Several people gasp and stare at us as we go in and I already know what they're thinking. _Oh my gosh, what is Homecoming King nominee Noel Kahn doing with a freak like Aria Montgomery? _And the equivalent kinds of message.

As we're approaching the steps, I feel a little more relaxed this time around. I know that Emily isn't going with Toby this time, she's going with Maya because they hadn't kissed in the photo booth, but had instead kissed at Maya's house and they were close to being official. Maya had called me after it had happened stating that she was not going to let Emily go again in a hurry if she could help it.

As I look down the steps, Hanna and Sean, Spencer and Alex (omg I forgot about that boy) and Emily and Maya are standing where they were last time, in the dead centre of the space. They see me and, just like most other people in the room, they stop to point. I see Melissa Hastings give me a strange look but I wave it off, thinking nothing of it. Spencer is frowning and that means she's trying to calculate when this happened. Maya is smiling knowingly and nodding her head at my choice. Hanna is normal, having already found out about us. Sean looks happy to see his bro happy. Emily is…indifferent I guess. She doesn't look thrilled, but she doesn't look as angry as Spencer. I have a slight feeling that this is not going to go down well for anybody. Especially Noel.

"You ready for this?" He asks, noticing my slight discomfort. I shrug.

"Of course. If she doesn't like us, then tough, she will have to get used to it."

I brace myself for the comment that I know is coming.

"Aria, what the hell is this?" She snaps. Great, she's pissed.

"Hi, I'm Noel Kahn." Noel says sarcastically, waving to her. Maya laughs, which does not go well received by Spencer and Emily.

"I believe I was speaking to Aria, Kahn."

"Spencer, stop. Noel and I…are dating. We have been for a few weeks." I say, tired of her attitude towards him.

"Dating? When has Noel Kahn ever dated anyone?"

Noel steps in.

"So I haven't had the best reputation with girls, but I can honestly say now that I care about Aria more than I've ever cared about anyone in my life. She's my girlfriend and I plan on keeping her for as long as she'll have me. If you can't deal with that, then that's your problem, not ours. When you decide to act as a mature adult, we'll be at the fortune teller." He looks to me. I nod and walk off with him. I'm stopped by a firm hand. It's not Spencer, but Emily.

"Hey, I'm sorry for not acting as warmly as I should've, given the circumstances of who I'm with. You should date who you want to date. I was just surprised, that's all. But I'm happy for you both. And Noel? If you mess with her or hurt her in any way, you won't have to worry about Spencer, you'll have to worry about me and what I'll do to you. Keep that in mind and treat her right. She's precious." Aw, Emily, that's so cute. She would have never said that to Ezra, so it's cute that I'm getting this treatment now. Hopefully Spencer will come around. I know she's only thinking of me, but still, I don't like her antagonism. Maya winks at me and grabs her girlfriend, sweeping her away for some punch. Spencer is talking to Alex, but glances at me almost apologetically.

Noel and I make our way to the fortune teller. She's a middle-aged lady but she looks pretty accurate for someone working a school event.

"Who's first?" She's very blunt. I raise my hand after silently debating with Noel. He nods and grasps my hand, sitting next to me. She turns over the first card and mumbles something about danger. Somebody I care about is going to be put in danger soon. Well, that's normal. I don't react very shocked, so she continues nonchalantly. The second card is the Chariot, which implies control over a certain situation. That spooks me a little because this whole timeline was caused because I'm taking control. Is this lady going to rat out my secret?

"What exactly am I in control of?" I ask.

"Well, it appears to be control of a change that has happened recently in your life. You're in control and you're on some sort of journey to find or change something." Wow, bingo.

"Uh, Noel, this is really creeping me out maybe this wasn't a good idea."

The lady nods. "Understandable. I'm feeling a very serious vibe from you. Though, if I may draw one last card." I nod weakly.

She draws it. Black writing is scrawled across the shiny surface. It looks irregular, like it wasn't meant to be in the deck and maybe it wasn't. I pick up the card, despite the lady's warning to not touch the cards and read it.

_In your future, I see me. Everywhere you go. Everywhere. You're hiding something big and I won't rest until I find out. See you on the ice. –A _

Fuck, what? Is this serious? Can this not happen please?

"Aria, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just need some air." I really do.

I wait outside with Noel, who insisted on coming outside with me.

"Those tarot cards can be really spooky, I don't like them either. Is there anything I can do?"

"Uh, can you get Maya for me? She'll be with Emily. I need to talk with her." It's a weird request, but this secret is burning my insides. I need to tell somebody else before my bad secret-keeping skills ruin everything. I wonder, considering that Maya knows, if it would be dreadful for somebody else to know.

Maya appears and she looks worried. After embracing me in a tight hug, she studies my face.

"Aria, what's wrong?"

"I need to tell someone, Maya. I was wrong, this isn't as easy as I thought that it would be. I'm struggling. I hate keeping this from everyone. Spencer, Emily, Hanna, Noel, it's too much. And now even –A knows that I'm hiding something huge. If I tell only one other person, will my timeline change?"

Maya looks down.

"I, uh, kinda slipped up, Aria. Emily read my journal where I was writing about the new timeline and she knows everything. But I just found a loophole in the system. If you don't tell anyone, but they find out, you haven't broken the rules. Though Emily isn't allowed to tell the others, but you can let her know that you're involved, since she doesn't know about that yet. I was thinking if you write it down and maybe leave it for Noel to read, then you can talk about it without actually revealing it. As for Hanna and Spencer, that's up to you. It might be too much divergence to cope. I would just limit it to Noel, for now. Emily will help you, as well. I've asked her to keep an eye on you, though I didn't say why."

That's…good news, I guess. Though, still, keeping it from Hanna and Spencer is going to be tough to handle.

"Okay, that sounds like something I can manage. Thank you, Maya. You're so calm about all of this and you'll have to let me know when that dinner with Pam is."

"Yeah, Emily's trying to help with that, but she can't actually interfere too much or else they'll continue as they did the first time. You can still do something, though."

"I've been thinking about that. If Emily lets me know when she leaves the house, I'll swing by and distract Pam and take your book bag."

"Yeah, that's a plan. I'll leave you and Noel to talk?"

"Yeah, thanks Maya." I give her another hug. That girl deserves some kind of medal for this.

"Hey, you okay?" Noel says, pulling him close to him.

"Yeah, I just thought I was going to have a panic attack and Maya knows how to calm me down." I explain not completely truthfully, but it's not a lie. "Listen, there's something you need to know, but I can't tell you right now."

"I knew it. You and Maya are hooking up. Because I'm not mad, I just want tickets." He winks hotly.

"No, trust me, I'm completely straight. But it's quite serious and you might not believe me and you may even want to end things. That's not what I want at all, but it's just a heads up."

"Not going to lie, this is kinda freaking me out, so after the crowning, we could go back to my place. My parents are away on business so you can scream, cry or whatever you need to do and then we can just watch movies or something." Noel suggests. That sounds wonderful.

"Speaking of that, I believe it's time for your crowning."

"Nah, Sean's got this."

"I don't believe that for a second. You have a really good chance."

"Let's hope."

* * *

"And your 2010 Homecoming King is…Mr Noel Kahn!" Melissa announces. There's cheering, the most surprisingly coming from Sean himself. Hanna looks sort of gutted because she thinks that she hasn't won when I know that she probably has.

"And your 2010 Homecoming Queen is…Hanna Marin!" Of course it is. Who else is it going to be? Prudence Finn? Paige McCullers? Don't make me laugh. Hanna is the most popular girl in school, of course it's her.

"Well done, Han!" I congratulate her, kissing her cheek. Spence surrounds her and tilts her head at me, silently asking to talk.

"What's up?" I say indifferently.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I said about Noel, but you can understand my reluctance, right? We all know what he's done. I'm…honestly happy for you, Aria. I was so stupid and I love you." She hugs me, well that didn't take all night.

"I love you, too. And hey, don't worry about it. I had my doubts too, but he's a lovely guy and I think you'll come to like him."

"Speaking of guys, Alex left while you were outside."

"Why, what happened?"

"Melissa happened. She's set to ruin all of my dates from now until graduation." Yep, because of what happened with both Wren and Ian. The Hastings sisters don't actually have a good track record with dating and being friendly towards each other.

"Well, you can make it up to Alex another time. Right now, we have to go and bow down to the Queen and spend the rest of Homecoming having fun."

"I'm up for that."

"Hanna!" We smile as we approach her. Spencer stands awkwardly as I embrace Noel. Don't worry, I think, you'll have Toby soon, Spencer. Everything will go according to the last timeline besides death and accidents. Romance is almost the same…

* * *

Back at Noel's, I'm scribbling down the explanation of what happened. As I finish, Noel himself comes in with some drinks and snacks for us.

"I assure you, my hot chocolate makes the school's punch taste like liquidised celery."

"Hey, I like celery."

"Right, the rabbit thing." He laughs. It's a musical laugh. I could listen to it all day without boredom.

"I'm done." I hand the paper to him and watch his eyes as he reads.

"So…you're from the future?" He concludes.

"Not quite the future, really. Well I came back from the dead into an altered timeline to amend what happened in the last one."

"So tell me…what exactly happened with us in this previous timeline of yours."

"Well, we briefly dated, but we were both interested in other people." It's a half lie.

"Do tell."

"Promise you won't judge me. Like you might really think this is totally weird and think I'm crazy and hate me."

"Aria, go on."

"Well I dated…Ezra Fitz."

"As in _Mr Fitz_? I can see how you would find him appealing. I mean, he's good looking, intelligent and he's well-read. Aria, I'm not judging you. It's not like I've never found a teacher hot before and wished I could act on. The fact you did just means you're a catch. Hey, it's fine. Now who did I date?"

"Well, you were with Mona for a while after me and then you dated Jenna."

"Jenna Marshall? No way, that did not happen." He shakes his head.

"I swear to you. You two dated during senior year. And then you had a drunken fling with Sean and then fell in love with my brother."

"Okay, The Jenna thing could have happened, but I would never sleep with Sean or your brother, even though they're both totally smoking."

"Noel, are you gay?"

"Definitely not. A gay guy would not be thinking about undressing you right now. I just...appreciate attractive guys. This does not mean that we can talk about the latest hot celebrities. I just recognise beauty very easily." His thumb sweeps across my face as he kisses me gently and then with passion. I break it off, thinking of something.

"Did you just call my brother smoking?" I frown. He chuckles and I fall into his embrace, wondering why on Earth I didn't date Noel last time. This is pure heaven.

* * *

**Author's Note: Okay. I know this chapter was largely based on the Noel/Aria pairing and I missed out a lot of the plot in this episode, but don't fret. All will be discussed. The next chapter will see Hanna retrieve Toby's file from the office and obviously the Toby/Emily plot for Episode 6 is omitted, due to her going to homecoming with Maya instead (aww squee for Emaya). Anyway, the next real plot developments will start in the twelfth chapter, when Mona invites the girls to go glamping with her and we all know what's supposed to happen there. Will it? You'll see. Also, there's a surprise appearance of Alison in Chapter Thirteen. Look out for it. Special shout outs to users: guessmename and awesomeladanchica for being awesome reviewers and making my day! Okay, thank you! Review, guys! xxxx**


	9. The Errors of Communication

Chapter 9 The Errors of Communication

* * *

_S.O.S- Hanna _

Seriously, I am going to outlaw the person who ever thought to text S.O.S when somebody needs help. I'm pretty sure it was Alison. Well she's gone for a while so I can't really do much to her for a few years…apart from catch her in the act of seeing one of us girls when she is supposed to be dead. Wow, she can't even be dead properly. Well, neither can I, I was dead for all of like five minutes, wasn't I? I've just found another thing in common with Alison. That's strange.

Anyway, I do decide to answer Hanna's call because it could be important, even though in a way, I know it's not. It's probably something that has been delayed from the previous timeline that needs to happen in order for things to progress. Think, Aria, think. What has to happen that hasn't happened yet? What do we need to find out? Then it comes to me. Toby's file. Hanna needs to get it from the dentist's office in order for everything to pan out properly. Has she got it? I wonder. I remember throwing it into the river last time. That was actually really therapeutic watching all the little sheets of paper float away into wherever the river leads to. I want to do it again but I remember Emily texting us not to. Oh well, nothing truly awful came of it last time and I really want to go all badass on the situation and just toss it like it's a Frisbee.

Spencer messages me telling me to meet her and Hanna at the shed where they're going to read over Toby's file and then probably destroy it. Wait, this timeline is slightly messed up. We should've read it at Homecoming, but for some reason we didn't. That's weird, I hope nothing else like that changes or else my home field advantage is just gone. I think I'll just let them read it. I already know what's in it and they'll probably tell me afterwards anyway.

I get to the shed where Hanna and Spencer are squabbling (as they always do) and I hear Spencer telling her not to burn the file by the shed.

"Spencer's right, we can't burn the file out here!" We're not going to _burn_ it, I'm going to drown it.

"This is a terrible idea!" Spencer pleads, but Hanna just ignores her and storms towards the shed, lighter in hand.

"Just stay here." I whisper to Spencer.

"Fine." She crosses her arms. She's not happy about being the man left behind.

"Hanna!" I call, catching up to her. Seriously, if she destroys this file herself and takes a lot of my pleasure out of this timeline, I'm going to cut her. "Hanna! Hanna wait!" I call, really seriously.

"Can we at least talk about this?" I appeal. Hanna got to crash her boyfriend's car, I should be able to have some fun too.

"No! I don't _want_ this in my house and I don't want it in my locker." Hanna snaps. Wow, she's really had enough of that file. Well she can't afford to be arrested any more times than she has been already.

"I will mail it to the police." Spencer sighs. I just knew that she wouldn't stay at the car. She's too nosey.

"No, that's not gonna happen. I'm not having this traced back to me." Hanna retorts. She does have a good point. I mean, if the police put two and two together and _don't_ make seven, they'll see that Spencer somehow got the file from the dentist's office, where Hanna, one of her best friends, worked, so they would conclude correctly that Hanna stole it, which she did. Hanna's actually thinking for once. Spencer is being all headstrong again.

"How are they going to trace it back to you, I'm the one licking the envelope!" Spencer yells. Dear Lord, this has to stop!

"Okay, guys!" I try to interrupt, but it has no effect so I'm just stood there like an idiot.

"Because I am the one who works in that building!" Hanna wisely counters. Seriously, I should just wrestle that file from her right now and chuck it.

"Hanna."

"And I'm the one who always gets caught." She says. Oh, she's talking about the sunglasses. I still don't which ones she stole. I think they're the Gucci ones but they could be her Prada ones. I'll try again.

"Spencer's right! _Burning_ the folder out here is a bad idea. If the police could use it to build a case against Toby—." I'm interrupted. Again. Stop it Spencer.

"He had a motive to kill Alison." She chips in. Really? That's all that she wanted to say? Ugh, that girl. I was about to rant.

"And they can also prove that I broke into a shrink's office. Look, I really can't afford to take any more field trips to the precinct." Hanna argues. Wow, she's on a roll. "I'm pretty sure about three strikes you're out."

"Wait, Hanna, what strikes, you were just trying to save your friend?" I really need to know what pair of sunglasses she's talking about.

"Look, I've already gotten busted for stealing sunglasses and my boyfriend's car." She says miserably. Bless.

"Wait, you stole sunglasses from who?" Spencer questions.

"Not a person, from a store. God, I have some class." Now's my chance. Go, Aria!

"Wait, are you talking about those Gucci ones with the gold…" I try.

"Focus!" Fuck you, Spencer. I was almost satisfied. "Hanna, this not about petty theft. Toby could be the killer. We can't keep making these same mistakes over and over again!"

"We?"

"Yes, _we_!" Spencer replies. Right, this is getting boring now. Just let me play with the file. "Okay, we are all in this together," Spencer continues. Let's all sing High School Musical now, right? "We are all being stalked by –A. And he's run off…"

"Okay, we don't _know_ that he's –A." This is the closest I can direct them off the Toby path without telling them. I use a knowing tone so that they might possibly listen to me but no, nobody ever listens to the girl who likes to use cutlery as jewellery. God.

"Please, have you gotten one single text since last night?" Wow, Spencer, it's been like eight hours. And plus, I bet Mona's too hungover to text us. "Okay, the devil has a name, and it's Toby." She spits. Yeah, the very same devil that you're going to have sex with in about a year, right on Spencer.

Hanna snatches the file from here and stalks away. Ugh, more walking? Seriously? I'm tired and I only have short legs!

"WHY ARE YOU BEING SO PIG-HEADED?" Spencer yells. Right down my ear. Thanks, Spencer.

"Why? Because I don't have a big safety net to catch me! Not all of us have a daddy who can write a cheque to make the boogeyman go away." I can hear the venom in Hanna's voice and it upsets me a little bit. I know about her family's money troubles and I wish I could help but neither Hanna nor Ashley would take any money from me.

"What are you talking about?" Spencer says, quieter this time.

"Spencer, you get caught stealing an essay and your parents let you take a picture for the newspaper! I get caught stealing an accessory and I have to lug around medical waste." Now's my chance.

I take the file from Hanna and…BOOM. That felt good. All those little sheets flying around in the air. YES I DID IT! I'm so happy right now. I feel like a weight has been lifted!

"Okay, there. It's done!" Yes, it is done. And nobody can take that away from me. "We never saw it, we don't even know that it exists." I brief them on an amazing lie that we could tell and _never_ get caught out about…yeah because such a thing is possible in Rosewood. I feel like rolling my eyes. "Can we leave now? Please?" They don't move. Fuck it, I'm leaving.

One by one they follow me and for once I feel like a ringleader. Until I lag behind. What the fuck is up with me? I get a text from Emily. Oh yeah, the one which made me shit myself last time.

_WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T DESTROY THAT FILE!- Emily. F_

Well, shit.

* * *

Once I'm at home, my memory is jogged by another random, menial detail of the last timeline that I completely forgotten and wasn't entirely welcome. The flowers. I assumed that they were from Ezra but then I read the tag. This time is different.

_Thank you for sharing with me last night. You're really something special. – Noel xx_

Aw cute! No Sean this time then. Thank the Lord of Timelines! Noel is just taking me very much by surprise this time. I didn't know he was such a charmer. He's so romantic.

My mom and Mike walk into my room. It hits me that I haven't her told about Noel yet and I don't think now is much of a good time to do so, what with the family about to split like a glacier. Ugh, Iceland pun, that was really lame.

"Hey." Mike says to one of us,

"Hey!" I reply, smiling until Mike gives me a look. He was speaking to Ella. Okay, well that's awkward…shut up, Aria.

"Uh, Dad's gonna drive me over to practise and then we're staying for the game. Should I save you a seat?" Mike doesn't look optimistic.

"Uh, honey I think I'm gonna have to miss this one." Ella smiles sadly. Mikes twirls his lacrosse…stick thing in his hand and leaves with a short "Whatever" to let Ella know he's pissed. That's not very nice, Mike, but I get where you're coming from.

"You don't have to sit with Dad." I supply.

"Yeah, but that would look worse than not going at all, wouldn't it?." God, why are people in this damn town so obsessed with what people think? It's really not a good trait. I had a relationship with a fucking teacher, for Christ sake, and I didn't give a shit.

Before I can reply, she leaves. So she asks me a question and then doesn't stick around to hear my answer.

I sigh heavily, wondering where along the way everything went to shit.

I'm on my way to Noel's house to thank him for the flowers when I see it. The truck that has hold of Toby's wrecked motorcycle. Damn, this looks bad. Even though I know that he's not even dead, it still doesn't have a lesser impact seeing the motorbike or Jenna sobbing her heart out on her porch. I want to go over there and tell her that I know he's alive, but obviously I can't. Wait! Isn't this when he "joins the A-Team"? I'm convinced that it is and his fake reign starts now. So I reckon he started to torture us for reasons and then started to protect Spencer once he fell in love with her. Figures.

But, obviously, the Gods of Texting do not want me to arrive at Noel's because…

_S.O.S- Emily _

FUCK.

We made a promise that we wouldn't ignore them, so I shoot off a quick text to Noel telling him that I would be over at his house later and make a detour to Emily's to see what's up, even though I already know. It's the –A text about Toby. But wait. I didn't get an S.O.S last time…so why is it any different now? Oh shit, have I messed something up? No, please don't say everything's changing, just when I started to get the hang of things in this timeline. Ugh, screw that, I'm going to keep going through this timeline as if it's the same. No changes allowed, sorry.

Well, apart from the change where I'm supposed to die but I'm going to stay alive. That change can stay. And obviously Maya not going to camp, that can stay too. But if anything else major changes, I'm going to be pissed.

And then everything fucks up. My phone buzzes which didn't happen last time and –A decides that she wants to play.

_Hey, Aria. This timeline really sucks doesn't it? I'll try to make it better for you but no promises. Kisses! –A_

What. The. Actual. Fuck?

* * *

**Author's Note: BOOM. -A knows Aria's secret. How? All will be revealed! Sorry for the big gap in chapters, I lost momentum with this story for a little bit. But hopefully, I'm up and running again! But do we have a traitor in the mix? Is Noel not who we thought he was? Is Emily going to the dark side? Is it _Maya?!_ The only thing you know is that it's not Aria. Stay tuned for Chapter 10 where Alison's memorial will happen and possibly some other drama! This is also the chapter where Noelia/Ariel kinda starts in canon, but they're already together, so what could possibly happen? You'll find out! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, especially 'on rainy days fly away' for being completely awesome and reviewing every chapter!  
**


	10. A Change Of Pace

Chapter 10- A Change of Pace

**First author's note: Okay, so before we begin, the chapter's title holds true for both the events in the story and my writing of it. A wonderfully helpful Guest review pointed out how much I was missing out on in regards to action and mystery and gave me some very great ideas which will be featured in the upcoming chapters. The review is actually sort of making its way into the chapter in the first paragraph. You'll see what I mean when you read it. So, to the Guest that reviewed if you're still reading this, although it was slightly disheartening for me to read, it helped me a lot and I'll be making a change. Also, a lot of you have commented on Aria's swearing. I did think it was OOC whilst writing it, but I had always thought that the fact that PLL is televised makes it harder to dig deeper into the angst and emotions of the characters. I do think they would become frustrated easier and swear a fair bit. Though I read it back and realised that she swears a LOT and I didn't realise this. It's my job as a writer to notice things like this. I don't have a beta so I have to be extra thorough. So she will continue to swear, but much less frequently. I think some expression is good for characters like Aria who have a lot building up and not many ways to release such things. So thank you to everyone who has stuck by me throughout this and thank you again to the Guest who reviewed! Everyone's support means the world to me! Anyway, this Author's Note is bordering on 300 words now, so I'll continue on with the story now. Thanks again!**

* * *

It's funny how much things can change over a small period of time. Like I had a conversation with Maya last night and she pointed out how even though I have the upper hand over –A and my other enemies, I'm not using it to my advantage. Like that I should be confronting them instead of waiting for the confrontations to come to me. I thought that that might be pushing the whole secret up a notch and threatening its reveal, but Maya pointed out that this would be another method of letting the girls in on the fact that this is a do over of last time. I still don't know about that, though. I mean, I trust these girls with my life and keeping things from them kills me, but I just don't know how they'll react. Hanna would be thrilled and use it to her advantage; she would pester me about when the next Macy's sale is. Spencer would completely flip about me keeping it a secret, though she would calm down once she found out. I reckon it might a good idea _soon_ to let them in. Maybe inconspicuously though. Maya says that it's up to me when and how I tell them about it. Of course, Emily already knows, as does Noel. Emily said she wouldn't tell the other girls until I was ready, which was nice. But now I also have to be worried about –A telling them before I can. That makes up my mind. It has to be soon.

I approach the school doors, ready to start seizing the day when a flash of black disrupts my vision. My eyes dart to the left and I notice to face to Ezra Fitz standing behind a bush, staring right at me. It's like he hasn't taken the hint by now. I am not going to be used as research for a book about my friend who faked her own death just so he can toss me away when he's done. Anyway, I'm with Noel now and he's making me a lot happier than my sneaky relationship with Ezra did previously. He catches my eyes and skulks away. Okay, he just got like three times shadier. If he's going to be persistent, I have to tell him to back off. I'll see how he decides to handle this. If he's still coming after me, I'll deal with it. If he backs off, then it's all good.

I spot Hanna and Sean talking and remember what happened last time. It's when she tried to set me up with Noel but it didn't really work because I was still stupidly pining over Ezra. Now everything's different, so I don't need to worry about doing something good for Hanna or getting over Ezra. I can spend my time doing more useful things, as Maya suggested last night. I see Mona strutting through the hallways like she dominates, but she doesn't. She will never be Alison, as much as she longs to be like her. I get caught up in the moment and make a (possibly) rash decision to go over to her.

"Mona." I greet, emotion escaping from my tone.

"Oh, hey Aria! You and Noel are a really cute couple, by the way! Did you need something from me?" She sounds false and bored. I know she's all evil, but I have to hand it to her, she does put on a great charade.

"Cut the crap, Mona. Let's put this in terms you'll understand. I know what you're doing and I'll put an end to it. Remember, I know. Everything. So I'm taking you down. But even _you_ won't see me coming, got it? Good. Have fun being a Class _A _bitch." I have absolutely no idea where the sass comes from, but it's worked. She knows I know about her and that she's caught. She looked frightened for a moment before I walk away, not wanting to listen to whatever lie I just know that she's going to spin. People in Rosewood call my friends and I liars, but we've got nothing on other members of this town. Yes, I'm talking to you, Garrett Reynolds. Jenna Marshall. Melissa Hastings.

"Aria!" I hear my boyfriend's voice calling to me as I'm mulling everything over in my way too crowded mind.

"Hey, you." I lean up and kiss him fondly.

"I got good news! I happen to have VIP tickets and some meet-and-greets to Band of Horses on Friday. You in?" Ah, yes. I forgot about that. It was actually a really good night. And the fact that I get to see them a second time is a total win.

"Sure, count me in."

"I scored four tickets so I asked Sean if he wanted to bring Hanna so you feel left out." He _cares_. That's important.

"Third wheeling between you and your boyfriend would've been a bummer." I dig, and punch his shoulder lightly, before straightening his shirt.

"Sean is so not my boyfriend. I know this because I would much rather make out with you." He smiles that winning smile at me. Uh, I love it.

"That's because Hanna's in the picture."

"Did we go and see Band of Horses last time?" He adds, quieter. I just nod, looking around.

"Yeah. Hanna fixed us up because you said you wanted to ask me but…"

"You were still seeing Fitz?" He whispers back, getting the message. I nod again.

"But that was last time. No more teacher drama. Let's focus on us. We're going to have a great time on Friday. Ugh, crap, I've got Chem Lab. I'll catch you later?" I hug him and make my way to my next class.

I get a text from Spencer about Jenna reading at the memorial for Alison that Emily's mother suggested and smile at the worry that's hidden behind it. Jenna only says good things about Alison.

_Spence, don't worry. She won't say anything bad, not in front of the crowd_

And it's true.

_You sound so confident about that – Spencer _

_I am confident about it. – Aria_

_You got any of that confidence to spare? I'm a nervous wreck thinking that she's going to expose what we did to her –Spencer_

_Just trust me. – Aria_

That's as far as I can go without spilling everything and reversing the redo of this timeline. Wow, that's confusing.

Friday comes without disturbances, only more of Spencer's freaking out about Jenna, which I calm down.

Noel and I arrive at Hanna's to see that Sean's already there. Noel and Sean converse about football or some sports thing while I strike up a conversation with Hanna.

"Hey, Spencer's gone even more high-maintenance than she usually is. She keeps freaking out about Jenna spilling the beans at the memorial. But I told her—."

"Why are you talking to me?" Hanna blurts. Well, this is a surprise.

"What? Why wouldn't I talk to you?" That's genuine. I have no idea where this has come from…until I do. There's only one girl that can be so manipulative (besides Alison) to turn me into the bad guy. Mona.

"Shouldn't you be spending your time terrorising my other friends? Or is that what you're here to do to Sean?" She crosses her arms, a 'Hanna' signal for 'I'm really pissed at you so you'd better start explaining yourself before I slap you'. I saw Hanna slap Jenna and that was _really_ hard. I don't want her to slap me.

"So this is about Mona. Hanna, that's not what happened at all. I didn't terrorise her. In fact, it's quite the opposite." I ramble before I can take it back.

"What's that supposed to mean? Mona's done nothing to you."

"Hanna, this isn't the place or time for me to talk about this, but I really need to talk to you, okay? Why would I terrorise Mona? I barely know her. Please, just don't pick a side! Not until I tell you what I need to say."

"Fine, but I see no reason why Mona would make that up." Oh you will, Hanna. You will.

"Can we put this on hold and focus on having a good time?" Sean interrupts and I realise that the boys heard everything we said. Hanna storms away, throwing the Thai takeout boxes into the bin and Noel approaches me, concerned.

"Hey, is everything okay with you two?"

"There's a little case of what I like to call 'New Timeline Fever' catching on. I know…something about Mona and I confronted her about it. She told Hanna that I've been like…bullying her, which isn't the issue at all. Hanna doesn't' believe me."

"So you're going to tell her? About the timeline?" Noel asks, curiosity lighting his eyes.

"I'm going to have to. Now that I've let Mona know that I know what she's done, she's going to keep tormenting my friends and turning them against me. I have to. I'll write it down again, using the loophole to not break the law of the universe."

"You're sneaky and I like it." Noel smirks and kisses me. Our moment is interrupted by Sean.

"Hey, when you two stop getting frisky, we have a concert to get to." Sean says playfully, breaking us up. Damn. I was really getting into that kiss.

During the concert, I notice how relaxed it is between Noel and I. We get along very easily and it's hard not to notice it. It's quite the opposite of my interactions with Hanna tonight. We're exchanging blank looks which have no real words behind them. Usually, we're communicating almost telepathically, but Hanna's lack of trust and belief in Mona stunts that a little bit. I'm sure she'll believe me once I tell her what's happened and provide my evidence and my witness, Emily, and we'll be fine again. I just hate her being mad at me. I can feel the 'Ice Queen' glare digging into me and it's not pleasant by any means.

When Noel drops Hanna and I off at Spencer's, we rope Emily into joining the discussion and I'm glad she's available because I really need her. Maybe she can word it, so I'm not actually telling them and breaking the terms of my redo.

They're all sat on Spencer's couch, looking up at me expectantly.

"So," I begin somewhat awkwardly. "There's something really important that I've needed to talk to you guys about but I haven't been able to find the words to actually come out and _say_ it. Actually, it's not something that I can say at all. Through somebody else, not me, Emily knows some of what's going on. She can tell you, because I can't or else everything turns bad. Just trust me." I look to Emily, who nods and launches into what Maya told her about my return. She explains that I died and gave both myself and Maya the chance to go back and fix our deaths. Spencer and Hanna click on immediately and, after Emily finishes, look to me wanting to ask questions.

"Go ahead. I'm sure you have lots of questions."

"Do you know who –A is?"

"Guys, there's more than one. I know one, possibly two, of them for certain, but the leader killed me last time and I have no idea who it is."

"So, spill!" Hanna blurts.

"This probably isn't what you wanted to hear, Han, but the –A who is harassing us now is Mona. She started by sending those messages to Alison and she's started up again now by pretending to be her. I'm so sorry, Hanna. I know you two are close." Hanna looks reflective.

"Mona? No, Mona can't be –A. She's Mona. I don't—."

"Hanna, why would I lie? All I said to her today was that I knew about her and I was planning to take her down. I promise."

"I guess it kinda makes sense," Emily pipes up. God I love her. "Mona hated Ali. Mona wanted to be Alison. And what better way than to actually _be_ her?" I actually hadn't thought of that before. Mona pretends to be Alison through her –A messages and has taken her place on the popularity chain and she's just as bitchy and manipulative. It works. Good job, Em!

"She's right, Han." Spencer says, strangely quiet.

"I believe you, Aria. I just don't want to. And I'm sorry for what I said to you at my house earlier. You didn't deserve that." She gets up and hugs me. I feel like a huge albatross has just been lifted from me. Telling that secret was killing me.

"Han, it's okay. But Mona knows that I'm reliving my timeline and I don't know what she plans to do about it." Hanna smirks.

"Don't worry. I'm on it. This bitch thinks that she can lie to me and then torture me and my friends but she can't. Because I'm going to be on her ass every single day. She won't tell anybody, Aria. Well, the Mona I knew wouldn't. But –A Mona might. How can we get her to stop, though? What did we do last time?"

"Well, there was a masquerade ball and Spencer followed Mona to her lair and found Alison's diary. That's what she was using to get our secrets. Spencer figured it out and called us. She kinda fell off Lookout Point but survived and then she went to Radley Sanitarium after they got her." I summarise. It took a moment to think about all of those details, actually. I'm a little rusty.

"Aria, you'll tell us if we're making a bad decision, won't you?" Spencer asks, scared.

"Hey, of course I will. You guys are my best friends. If I know you're doing something catastrophic, I'll stop you. But actually listen to me. I tried to stop things before and they've happened anyway."

"Got it."

"But things might change. Things have already changed. I wasn't with Noel last time. Mona knows that I know about her. Things could get dangerous. As long as we stick together and be careful, we'll stop her and try to figure out who the rest of them are. Especially the leader."

I'm satisfied with the night's events. The girls know and we're going to stop Mona much sooner than we did last time. This is good. Thanks to Maya, I can use my timeline knowledge to a much better use. Like for important things.

"So when do I lose my V card?" Hanna blurts out. This is exactly why I didn't want to tell them. I was afraid that Hanna would ask a question like this or about Sean and I would have to tell her. But I'll dodge all questions like this. Hanna and Sean could work this time, nobody knows. But Caleb…well, I'll get to that when he swings around. Maybe I'll stop him working for Jenna. Anything can happen from here on. Including random texts from Mona that I didn't see coming.

_You're finally fighting your own battles, BFF. But just a note. This isn't Mona. Guess again! Kisses, xoxo –A_

"Guys." I scowl and show them the text. "Do you think it's Mona pretending to be someone else or another –A?"

"You're the reincarnation." Hanna smirks.

"This didn't happen last time. I'm starting to think that a lot of what I know about isn't going to happen this time, either. I'm going to become useless. I can't tell you guys everything. What lives would you have if you didn't do things and feel things because I told you not to? Unless it's bad. If I told you everything that happened last time, things might not go the way I want them to. People might not come into our lives that we need. So unless it's urgent, please don't ask me about anything, okay? I'm sorry, but you guys still have to _live_."

Spencer and Hanna exchange a look and go to make some coffee for us.

"Aria?" Emily asks.

"Yeah, what's up, Em?"

"Maya told me that she…died last time. Can we stop it?"

"Yeah, that's partly why I'm here right now. Your mom finds drugs in her bag and sends her off to a camp where she meets her killer. H-He was jealous because he can't have her and that she loved you. So he killed her. But we're planning for that not to happen again. If you can, if Maya leaves her bag, keep it on you or hide it. If your mom finds the drugs, there'll be no way to stop Maya's past timeline from happening again." I feel good about this. It gives me something to do.

"Okay. I-I won't let her die this time. I promise." She whispers the last part more indirectly to Maya than to me. I hug her and go drink my coffee.

This is a good thing. I'm invigorated and, with probably a few slipups along the way, I'm going to stop my death. I'm going to stop –A. And there isn't anything that can get in my way now.

* * *

**Second Author's Note: So I hope you liked this special tenth chapter. This new style will probably carry on. Like the plot will still happen as it does in canon, but there will be a lot more scenes and events that are not canon. Also, I wanted your opinions on something. **

**I****f I killed off a central character who is important to the storyline, do you think it would still work? Like the canonical events? Because I'm dubious. Let me know whether you think it might be good to kill off a character who has a lot to do with the plot later on or not? If you can guess who I'm thinking, then kudos! **

**Hope you enjoyed. I'm sorry for the first nine chapters if they were a little boring. I'm excited about the future of this fic. Also, an important event happens in Chapter 12, the midseason finale, and it'll be a lot different from canon. Watch out for it. You won't see it coming.**


End file.
